Philharmonic

(which means "lover of music.")

Salem, MA

A friend called to invite me to a FREE concert of the Salem Philharmonic Orchestra this afternoon.

What a treat!

Moseley Woods Park

on the Merrimack River

Newburyport, MA

I went to visit my river this afternoon. ( I get a little possessive about the Merrimack. ) The old Whittier Bridge (named for local poet John Greenleaf) is going to be replaced soon, and I'm concerned about what the lowest bidder might put up in its place. Standing there under the pines, watching the ice floes pushing each other out of the way to get in on the free ride provided by the outgoing tide, I enjoyed the sounds of the ice crashing and crunching and tinkling.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Newburyport, MA

Today it was fun to sweat a little at the gym when it was 18 degrees and windy outside.

The best part is knowing that, because I work there, the gym membership is free!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

YAY! The St Lucia Post Office delivered! My friend Karen, a Peace Corps volunteer working with school kids in a rural village in St Lucia, asked for books. So I sent her some- in early December. I sent her doubles of each title, so the kids can buddy-read.

The books arrived! Sometimes, with the mail between here and the Caribbean, things don't go so well.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Newburyport, MA

Fresh broiled haddock for dinner. That was the second-most fun part of today. The MOST fun was returning, after about ten years, to yoga class (but I couldn't take a picture there ...)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Salisbury, MA

It is such a treat to walk over the bridge and go to a real diner- the kind with a juke box at every booth. (Unfortunately, the juke boxes don't work anymore.) The coffee, however was EXCELLENT!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Newburyport, MA

Today it rained most of the day, so I'm sharing a photo from yesterday's walk along the rail trail.

I noticed a small orange flag in the snow,

and when I got closer, I saw that it said:

WILD FLOWER SEED

I wonder who planted these seeds, and went to the trouble of labeling them ? ( There were many little orange flags. ) Was someone paid to do this? I will come back in the spring to see what blooms!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Rail Trail

Newburyport-Salisbury, MA

This is a walking/skiing/biking trail along an old railroad bed. I'm glad Nora was with me when I walked it one day recently, because she spotted these metal fish on the stone wall behind someone's home.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Back at home!

This past week, I've been away from my apartment (and convenient internet access) because repairs were being made to the ceiling.

BEFORE: The old ceiling, the result of a leak upstairs.

DURING: My winter vacation spot- Striper's Inn, Salisbury, MA

AFTER: A new ceiling. YAY!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Newburyport, MA

My new job! I love working at the gym.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Sturgeon ball!

This was a gift from my dear sister-in-law, Margaret Haydon, ceramic artist. She is nuts about sturgeons, so she created this sturgeon ball- one in a series. I am so tickled to have this more- than -unique piece of art in my home.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Minnesota State Fair

Minneapolis, MN

Today's fun photos are a couple of favorites from my photo files. They're from last summer when I discovered a unique art form at the Minnesota State Fair- SEED ART. They had several rooms there filled with stuff like this. People are always surprising me in one way or another.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Hampton Beach, NH

It was sunny and calm and "warm" today (33 degrees) so Nora and I went for a walk at Hampton Beach. We could see the Isles of Shoals clearly , and they are ten miles out! I was tickled to see these kayakers too, (and really glad I was not one of them!)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

at home

Newburyport, MA

Outside: 20 degrees

Inside: Chicken soup.....and I saved the wishbone!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Newburyport, MA

http://www.newburyportpl.org/

Today's photo will be revealed when you click on the link (because I forgot to bring my camera when I was there today!) It was fun to be welcomed as an official library volunteer today. I have a weekly shift, a specific job (helping patrons use the resources of the Archival Center) and even a desk and a computer to use when I'm working there.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Fitness Factory

Newburyport, MA

Working out on this mechanical rock wall is not the same as climbing a hunk of rock in the real world, but it's its own kind of fun.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Newburyport, MA

Today's fun was seeing the printer's proof pages of a book I am helping to publish.

Carried Away- True Stories From Letter Carriers Across America

http://www.carriedawaytruestories.blogspot.com

will be sold as a fundraiser for a relief organization for postal employees affected by natural disasters. Kate Drury, Nancy Anderson and I have been putting this book together for over five years, and now it's so close to being a real book I can taste it!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Maudslay State Park

Newburyport, MA

The peace of Maudslay in the late afternoon is the perfect antidote to a long cold day of work.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Today I wore my "sister socks." My sister Kathi sent me two pairs of wild patterned socks for no reason at all. Next time I saw her, I shared one of each pair with her. Now we both have identical pairs. I always think of her when I put them on.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Yesterday I got a kick out of two guys I ran into on the street in Newburyport, and that reminded me of two friends I met last year about this time, in a rural village in St Lucia.

They were sitting quietly outside their classroom at the elementary school one morning about an hour before school started. All the other kids were running around screaming and pounding on each other. I asked these boys what they were doing, and they showed me the spelling words they were studying together. I was impressed.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Downtown Newburyport, MA

Standing in front of the library, waiting for the doors to open first thing in the morning, I noticed two guys shoveling snow. One guy says to the other, "That's some UGLY hat you got on." This caught my attention, so I listened while they argued for a good five minutes about the Red Sox and Yankees. Turns out they are good friends, both having grown up in Newburyport. Now they both work for the city. They've been enjoying this argument for many years. Mike is the Red Sox fan; John is the one with the ugly hat.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Old Town Hill, Newbury, MA

First day of cross-country skiing for me this winter, and the conditions were PERFECT! Good friend and dog for company, temps in the mid-30s, sunny, and snow all fluffy.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Newburyport, MA

45 min aerobic exercise: DONE

weight-lifting: DONE

clear driveway and parking for guests: BONUS!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Today's date is a PALINDROME.

(It reads the same, backward and forward.)

01-02-2010

01022010

Friday, January 1, 2010

St Paul, MN

Too tired after work today to go have fun (unless you count making cookies.) I took these photos last summer in Minneapolis. I sometimes wonder if I would enjoy my job more if I worked here.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Joppa Flats Education Center,

Massachusetts Audubon Society

Newburyport, MA

Today I played all day (at my volunteer job,) watching birds fly around with the snowflakes, and helping little kids and their parents make musical instruments out of recycled stuff to welcome in a "Green New Year."

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Minneapolis, MN

Today I will share a picture from last summer. I saw this at the Minnesota State Fair. I guess deep fried cheese curds are something to look forward to if you're a midwesterner. It made me smile to see this booth, but I was not tempted to try the cheese curds.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Newburyport and Salisbury, MA

Two of my favorite examples of "dancing trees."

Monday, December 28, 2009

Newburyport, MA

Coming home from work on a raw wet day and finding a letter in my mailbox- a REAL two-page, handwritten, interesting, full of humor and details kind of letter- from my brother Jack was really fun today. (And he sent me a picture from long ag0 taken in my favorite back yard!)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

The Merrimack River,

Amesbury, MA

Another day of being amazed at living in a place where I don't even have to go out of my way to see a scene like this one. The river, the ice, the mist...oh my!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

COFFEE!!!!!!

Thanks to my generous and thoughtful friends and family, I will not have to buy coffee until Valentine's Day, and I will be enjoying only the finest beans every morning until then.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas Day

Maudslay State Park,

Newburyport, MA

Talk about a GIFT! This place- just a few miles from my house, was once the private estate of a wealthy family, (the Moseleys ) and now the entire 500 acres (which they lovingly called "Maudslay") are owned by the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When I walk here, I sometimes think about how private ownership of big beautiful chunks of land can be advantageous to the common people, at least when the landowners possess a conscience. I am always grateful that the Moseley family chose not to sell out to developers.

Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
Newburyport, MA

Opening my gift from Nora was so fun because I didn't even have to pretend it was JUST WHAT I WANTED !!!