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October 7, 2020

Nauset Beach at Sunrise

Great Location to take morning sunrise

In August we woke up early to catch the summer sunrise at Nauset Beach in Orleans Massachusetts.

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Five Things We Learned

  1. We arrived just as the sun was coming up. We should have planned it better and arrived at about 10-mins before the sunrise to get the best effect.
  2. There were a few people at the beach but a lot less than it was at the sunset at Ocean Edge the night before.
  3. There was plenty of open beach for pictures. Most people were on the northern side of the beach - near the parking lot entrance. We parked all the way on the other side giving us plenty of beaches to take family photos.
  4. We saw a few people leave moments after the sunrise. There were a few people who were sitting on benches enjoying coffee.
  5. After leaving the beach we stopped at the Chocolate Sparrow for a post sunrise treat. We couldn???t go earlier as they don???t open until 6:39 am. It was a nice way to treat all those who were crazy enough to get up early.

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September 30, 2020

OceanEdge Beach at Sunset

Great Place to enjoy a sunset over the Cape Cod bay

One of the advances of the some of the towns on Cape Cod is that you can get gorgeous sunset views. Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans and Brewster offer great sunset views from various beaches.

Recently we stopped at OceanEdge in Brewster and took some fantastic photos of the summer sunset.

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Ocean Edge Sunset Desktop

Things we Learned

You have to have an OceanEdge beach membership to get on the beach.

You can try some of the nearby public beaches, Ellis Landing Beach, but the beach at OceanEdge seems perfect for photos.

Check the tides before you go. If it???s going to be high tides it means that there won???t be much of a beach - get there early.

We saw a family that had a fire with S???mores. This is a package deal that you can buy from your waiter.

If you don???t want to sit on the sand, you can always sit and watch the sunset from the bar.

There were a lot of people taking pictures. Best to keep walking along the beach so people don???t get in your pictures.

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September 23, 2020

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Fun Facts about the popular Wildlife Sanctuary

One of the fun educational places that we like to visit is the Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, Massachusetts. It's a great place to spend a day learning all about the local area of wild life.

One of the nice things about this place is that it's open all year. In the winter months, you can learn about how wildlife survives the harsh New England Winters.

This is also a great place to take school field trips and scouts trips.

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Five Things I Learned About Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary sits on 220-acres of farmland which was given to the Massachusetts Audubon Society in 1955 by Louise Ayen Hathaway - a long time society member. The intent of the gift was to use it as a wildlife sanctuary.

The sanctuary first open to the public in the summer of 1956.

On November 12, 1980, a fire broke out in the Drumlin Farm barn killing a cow and causing $500,000 in damages.

The Wildlife Sanctuary is open during the pandemic. Guests have to purchase tickets in advance. All the buildings are closed. Full details are available on the Mass Audubon new site.

There is a working farm at the sanctuary. Children can watch and learn all about the chores and responsibilities that are required every day to keep the farm going.

Finding Drumlin Farm

Drumlin Farm is located on Route 117 at 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773.

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September 16, 2020

Intervale Scenic Vista

Perfect place to view the snow on Mount Washington

About miles north of North Conway is a scenic view of the White Mountains, including a picturesque view of Mount Washington. This is a great spot to take family pictures and enjoy the White Mountains.

Intervale Scenic Vista
Intervale Scenic Vista

Five Things to Know

  1. The Intervale Scenic Vista os 15.79 miles (25.42 km) from the top of Mount Washington. (As the Crow flys)
  2. Best time to visit the Intervale Scenic Vista is in late September and October during the peak foliage season. The busiest time is usually 1 pm to 3 pm.
  3. White Mountain School of Art - There is a sign at the Intervale Scenic Vista that reads, “ Since Thomas Cole’s visit in 1828, New Hampshire’s splendid scenery has been an enduring inspiration to countless landscape artists. From 1850 to 1890 this region was particularly favored for their easels. Benjamin Champney (1817-1907), New Hampshire~born painter, described the glorious era in ‘ Sixty Years of Art and Artists.’”
  4. Another sign reads, “ Grateful acknowledgment is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond M Cannell of North Conway for the gift of this land and the Intervale Vista. The addition of this land from thr John Cannell family seeks to preserve the Intervale Vista.”“
  5. Raymond Moore Cannell owned the Intervale Inn and the Cannell’s Country Store. The Intervale Inn is now called the 1785 Inn. The Inn is currently closed, it was recently sold to Scott Kudrick and Bob Monahan.

Getting There

Intervale Scenic Vista is 2-miles North from the North Conway Five and Ten Store on US-302.

Directions to put in Google Maps: 3654 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH 03860.

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September 9, 2020

Graveyard of Dearly Depinted

Fun Graveyard to visit at the Ben & Jerry's Headquarters

At the Ben & Jerry's head quarters in Waterbury, Vermont, there's all sorts of fun things to do for the family. The most notable is the factory tour with some free ice cream at the end of the tour.

One of the big attractions, is the famous flavor graveyard honoring all the retired flavors.

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Flavor Graveyard

Graveyard of Dearly Depinted

In 2014, we visited the graveyard. I remember it being a fun and quick visit. Basically your look at all the various flavors and try to remember ones that you might have tried that are no longer available.

The graveyard is located in the back of the factory, a bit of a walk from the scoop shop. If you didn't know about it, you could easily miss it!

This is a quick visit, most people stayed for about 20-minutes. It's a fun place to say that you visited, especially if you like Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

Some Fun Facts:

  • There are 30 tombstones of flavors gone by.
  • The oldest tomb is the Dastardly Mash 1979 - 1991.
  • Each tombstone has the flavor name, a short story and then the year the flavor was offered.
  • Some people leave flowers near the flavors they liked, or is it the ground crew playing a trick on the tourist?
  • If there's enough interest in a particular flavor, Ben and Jerry's may bring it back!
  • If you can't make it to the real graveyard? Ben & Jerry's made a virtual graveyard for you to enjoy. There's even a page on the most missed flavors.

Take the Factory Tour

Ben & Jerry's factory, Route 100, Waterbury, Vt., 802-846-1500, benjerry.com. Tours daily, adults $3, seniors $2, 12 and under free.

Note: The tour is closed to due COVID-19. Visit the website for updated details.

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September 2, 2020

Shelburne Farms

Popular Stow Farm to pick Your Own Apples

It's September, and for most people in Massachusetts, it's time to think about Fall. One of the popular Fall activity is apple picking.

Massachusetts has several places to pick Apples, Massachusetts own mass.gov site has a list of all the places where you can pick-your-own apples. There's even a map to show you what's close to you - or where you want to go.

There are two places in Stow, Massachusetts that we like to go to. Shelburne Farms and Honey Pot Hill Orchards. Both are very good, but we really like Shelburne Farms.

One of the reasons we like Shelburne Farms is that it's less crowded and you don't have to walk forever to find apples.

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Fun Facts About Shelburne Farm

  • Located only 20-miles from Boston
  • They have 20 varieties of Apples. (Not all apples are available at the same time.)
  • Don't want to spend time picking apples, you can get pre-picked bags in the Apple Shop.
  • In 2020, Shelburne Farms is open. Social Distancing is required. They are limiting the number of people that are allowed to pick apples. (Expect long lines on Weekends)
  • Full information on how Pick-Your-Own farms are available on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources PDF document.
  • Several local amateur astronomer clubs like to look at the night sky from the farm during nights in October. The location away from city lights makes it a perfect location to view the night sky.
  • McIntosh Apples make the best Apple Pie, but if they are not available, try Northern Spys, Baldwins, Gravensteins, Pippins, or Cortlands.

Boston Globe Ad

I found a classic Ad from the Boston Globe:

Shelburne Farm News Paper
Shelburne Farm Boston Mobile

Getting There

Shelburne Farms is located on 106 West Acton Road, 978-897-9287, shelburnefarm.com, They are open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m., weekend attractions are available 10-5.

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July 29, 2020

Yankee Candle Village

Fun place to spend hours with the whole family

One of the places we like to shop at in central Massachusetts is Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield. It's a fun place to spend an hour, or more, browsing around all the cool candle and accessories that they have,

The one downside is that the place is literally in the middle of nowhere. So usually if we are stopping here we are going to or coming back from a destination - such as Vermont or something in Western Massachusetts.

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Yankee Candle Village Mobile

Five Things to Check out at Yankee Candle Village

200,000 candles! You certainly find the perfect candle here!

Did you know that you can make your own candle jar? You can pick out various colors and designs in the Wax Works section. Fun thing for kids to do. (The Wax Works Candle-Making section is closed due to COVID-19)

It's always Christmas time at the Yankee Candle Village. They have amazing Christmas displays throughout the store. Certainly a fun tradition! Stop by in July for Christmas in July festivities.

Look for the 25-foot Christmas Tree and 6-ft Tall Nutcracker Lots of great classic toys and stocking stuffers for Christmas.

Find the place where it snows every 4-mins!

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July 22, 2020

Bewitched Statue in Salem

Fun facts about the Bewitched statue in Salem, Massachusetts

In the heart of downtown Salem, Massachusetts, in Lappin Park, is a statue of Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens - the popular TV character on Bewitched.

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Eight Things to Know

  • Installed on June 15, 2005 at a large ceremony by fans and a few protesters - some people weren't happy that a TV witch statue stands in the home of the 1692 Witch Trials.
  • Statue was installed 35-years after the show did some filming in Salem, Massachusetts. The show was set in Westport, Conn.
  • Before being installed in Salem, people were able to get a preview of the statue at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
  • The statue and surrounding area is owned and maintained by TV Land - so if there's any damage done to the statue it will be fixed by TV Land.
  • In the original agreement, the will remain at Lapping Park for 10 years. After that the city can request the statue to be removed
  • Statue is 7 1/2 feet tall and weighs 3,000 pounds.
  • According to bewitched.net, TV Land spent $75,00 to install the statue. The statue was sculpted by StudioEIS under the direction of brothers Elliott and Ivan Schwartz.
  • The movie version of Bewitched by Nicole Kidman was released 9-days later. (Perfect timing?)
T V Land Side Walk
Small TV Land Mentioned on the pavement.

Salem Saga

The Bewitched episode that was filmed in Salem was called "The Salem Saga." You can find it in Season 7, Episode 3 in the Bewitched collection. It first aired on October 8, 1970.

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July 15, 2020

Market Basket

Fun Place to Shop in New England

One grocery store that many New Englanders are familiar with is DeMoulas Market Basket. They are well known for having the best selection with the lowest prices of other regional chains.

As of January 2020, Market Basket operates 80 stores within three states - 49 locations in its home state of Massachusetts, 30 stores in New Hampshire, and a single store in Maine.

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Market Basket Mobile

Five Things I Have Learned

The first DeMoulas Super Markets store with the Market Basket name store opened in 1975 in Salem New Hampshire.

For some reason, Market Basket doesn't allow photography within the store. When you enter the store, look at the glass door and you'll see a notification that photography is prohibited.

During the 2014 Protests, Market Basket was trying to lure in customers with a 4% reduction on everything you buy. This didn't help as people were loyal to the protest.

In 2010, the company purchased land in Bourne, Massachusetts at the site of the former Cape Cod Factory Outlet Mall. The company paid $20-million for the land where Arthur T. was a major investor. After the purchase, a prominent real estate investor appraised the property at $9 million. This was one of many financial family disputes.

You can download this week's flyer from their website.

2014 Protests

In the summer of 2014, customers were boycotting shopping at Market Baskets. This was a direct result to have Arthur T. Demoulas return as CEO as he was outstate from the company by his cousin Arthur S Demoulas. In the media, they were referred to as Arthur T and Arthur S.

THe protest resulted in stores being empty from shoppers for about seven weeks. Some workers didn't want to work because they didn't want to cross the picket line and encourage shoppers to stay away.

The entire event ended on August 28th, 2014 when the Market Basket shareholders announced that Arthur T. Demoulas reached a deal to buy the company from rival relatives for more than $1.5 billion.

What's more amazing that customers returned back to Market Basket. Despite shopping at other supermarkets for several weeks, they still wanted to buy their groceries at Market Basket.

Six years later, shoppers are still doing their weekly shopping at Market Basket over Stop and Shop and Wegmans. In Framingham, on a recent Sunday morning, the Ashland Market Basket was packed while the Temple Street Stop and Shop was very quiet.

You can watch a 2016 Documentary about the protest: "We the people: The Market Basket Effect."

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July 8, 2020

Minuteman Statue in Concord Massachusetts

Fun Facts about the Minuteman Statue in Concord

One of the most famous statues in Concord, Massachusetts is the Minuteman statue at the Old North Bridge.

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Eight things I Learned About the Statue

Installed On -The statue was Installed on April 19, 1875, as a permanent memorial for the centennial of the fight at the Old North Bridge. President Ulysses S. Grant was at the dedication. On the same day, the statues of John Hancock and Samuel Adams statues were raised in Lexington.

Rebuild the Old North Bridge First - Prior to the statue being placed on the current location, the town of Concord had to put up a new bridge. The original bridge was taken down in 1793 and there was never a need to put up a new one.

Statue Specs - The statue weighs approximately 1500 pounds. It was cast from ten discarded brass cannons donated to the town from Congress. The granite base came from a quarry in Westford. The Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts did the casting - you can see the signature on the base of the statue back.

Design By - Created by Daniel Chester French for free of charge as he was an unknown artist. He was only 23 when he created the Minuteman statue. He was paid $1,000 ($22,909.56 in 2019). That money came from the will of Ebenezer Hubbard, a local farmer who lived in downtown Concord.

Specific Location - The statue was placed on the spot where Acton Minuteman Captain Issac Davis and Abner Hosmer were killed when the British troops fired.

Pedestal Work - John Cole of Westford did the pedestal work. He was paid $975 for his work.

Missing Statue - In early January 1975, in a secret town selectman meeting, a vote was made to approve the National Park Service to remove the top of the minuteman statue so a cast can be made on it. On January 16, 1975, the statue was taken down. At the time people were told it was one of the National Park Services bicentennial projects. The statue was placed back on the pedestal on April 1st - plenty of time for the town's bicentennial celebration. It was later revealed that the cast was made because of a bomb was found at the base of the statue on November 26, 1973. The National Park Service wanted a cast of the statue just in case the original one was destroyed or removed illegally.

New Cast Request - At a Town Hall meeting in November 1992, a request by the National Guard was made to make another cast of the minuteman so that a new statue could be placed in Washington D.C. That request was denied.

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About

Journey through New England's rich tapestry. Immerse yourself in the revolutionary spirit of Boston, Massachusetts, or explore the grand mansions lining Newport, Rhode Island's coast. Hike amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Vermont's verdant mountains, or savor the fresh lobster rolls dished out at charming harbor towns in Maine. From historical landmarks to outdoor adventures and culinary delights, New England caters to every traveler's desire.

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