Category Archives: Salem

Great Achievement at Salem High and 1000 Varieties of Pears in Salem!

It’s nice to wake up at 5:45am to good and interesting news in the paper.

The front page story in today’s Salem News is about our high school’s AP program. The rate of students taking advanced placement classes has risen dramatically and the success rate on completion has too!  Here’s today’s coverage of the Secretary of Education’s visit and the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative Program’s recognition of our students. This creative program provides cash incentive to students who pass the AP exams, and to their teachers. My oldest son has benefited greatly from this program and I hope that his siblings will too.  The Salem Public School system has it’s challenges but the schools, students, parents and community are working tirelessly to overcome them. I’m so proud that my children attend the Salem Public Schools. Their education is amazing in many, many ways.

I also have to share this interesting letter to the editor, written by Jeanne Stella of Salem. It describes some of the horticultural history of the northern part of Salem and how the street names reflect that history. North Salem was once farm land and orchards. Imagine growing 3000 trees, with 1000 varieties of pears!  You can read Jeanne Stella’s letter here. We are a city of gardeners. It’s in the soil and it’s passed down through many generations!

I’m hoping to do a little bit of Halloween touring later today and tomorrow. We’ll see where the kids and I land. Photos will be coming!

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Our Retirement Home

I know, it’s a little crazy, but there’s something about this building that draws me in. I’ve watched it for years.  Michael and I actually lived at the other end of the court when we were first married.  It’s a garage, with space overhead, but for just two people, couldn’t it be adorable?

Here it is with an antique edit…

Michael likes it too, I think that’s because of the garage…

He’s a garage person  🙂

I’m a garden and kitchen person.  There’s some great garden potential here.

The kitchen might need a little work~

Enjoy Everything!

Michele

A Few Minutes at the Gables

I know, I’m supposed to be blogging about Halloween, but, I still have a Salem garden or two to get in before the frost hits. I thought I’d make it to lots of places this summer and then it just seemed to go so quickly! That’s okay, I like having a long list of places that I’d like to show you someday.  I had a few errands to run yesterday and found myself parked in front of the House of the Seven Gables.  I used to love to look around their garden and I hadn’t been by there in a very long time so I thought I’d stop in for a few minutes. Years ago the garden and grounds were open to the public but now the grounds can be enjoyed with a ticket. When I asked if I could take a few photos for my blog I was readily admitted and allowed to wander with my camera. It really is a unique and special place. The site includes a visitor center,  the very famous “House of Seven Gables” which is open by guided tour, a gift shop, a Kids Cove and the home that Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in.

The seaside garden is really beautiful. The raised beds are full of annuals and perennials.  It’s colorful and has a historic feel.

This shady pergola is such a nice place to sit and relax.

The lawn in front of the sea wall is often the site of functions and special events. And the view of the Derby Lighthouse from the lawn is quite unique.

When I zoomed in on the lighthouse, Forest River Park popped into the background. The park is quite a distance away from the wharf, I’d estimate at least a half mile? Doesn’t it look closer?  Here’s our favorite ship… remember the view of the gables from Derby wharf that I posted a few weeks ago?A fun play space for kids..and another one… this must be relatively new. If your worried about taking small children into the rather delicate, historic houses this is a great alternative!Lots of things to see and do…Here’s Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Birthplace which was moved to the site in 1958. I always find it touching that this was preserved and placed in such a fitting spot.

Another view of the garden, and a good number of people enjoying it on a quiet Tuesday morning.

Let’s not forget the House of the Seven Gables, itself! I haven’t been on a tour inside in many years but I remember it as just fascinating. There’s twist and turns, great furniture and architecture and plenty of history. If you read the famous novel you will really enjoy seeing this home. It was being painted yesterday. Maintaining homes that are located right on the water is a huge commitment. It must be painted often!

It’s a great stop if your in town for a visit, or if your a resident. There’s something for everyone here.

Of course, my eyes are always on the flowers, but the history, charm and wonderful salt air will draw any visitor in!

Have a wonderful day! Enjoy everything!

Michele

Wow!! What squash can do!

Okay, maybe this is kind of a weird title, but it’s what came into my mind.  I have to show you these photos that Blaire sent me a week or so ago. Blaire always has her eye out for great gardens in the downtown and she sends me these interesting finds. This is in the courtyard of the House of Seven Gables Settlement house on Derby Street. I believe that the building, which was used as an after school program, camp and pre-school for many years, is kind of “in transition”.  It’s Caroline Emmerton‘s original settlement house and is owned by the Gables, as we Salemites refer to the House of Seven Gables.  Michael and I were out for dinner and a walk on Saturday night and of course I had to go see this. The vines are loaded with butternut squash. It looks to me like a few squash fruits might have been left on the ground last year with the plants emerging on their own and taking over the whole yard this year. Or maybe someone planted them purposely? No squash borers here! Isn’t nature amazing? 

Thanks for sharing these Blaire! Hope you all enjoy them and get off to a wonderful start to your week today!

Michele

A Few Minutes on the Friendship

Here’s a little inside look at our favorite ship in Salem!  You can read all about her here.  There are wonderful ranger guided tours, but, since we have our own ranger we like to stop in and look around once in awhile.

The rigging is amazing. The ship’s crew spends countless hours working on this.CargoImagine sleeping here..More cargo and maybe a sail?Counter space and a cute pie..The view from the deck

Another outside view, looking forward (I believe there’s a nautical term for “forward”)…

The captains quarters was closed for repair. I’ll try to get some shots there sometime soon. I could have taken a photo of the steering wheel ..I think that there may also be a nautical term for “steering wheel”, please feel free to chime in and correct me…

Sometimes I can’t believe that this is where we live, work and play.  What a lucky family I have.

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Green in the Middle, A Salem Public Schools Garden Program

This week I was invited to visit the “Green in the Middle” garden at the Nathaniel Bowditch School, here in Salem.  The garden began as part of a garden club at the school’s former location on Federal Street. Now it’s the work of a group of middle school students and teachers who participate in an after school program during the fall and spring and a morning summer program. The participants plan, maintain and enjoy this amazing space and in the process learn about subjects in the STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and math).

Over the past three years the students have designed and installed many great features like this spiral stone path and the bench around the Silk tree.

There are raised beds full of flowers, herbs and vegetables! It’s beautifully done!

Many aspects of gardening are being explored.

From a simple, perfect hibiscus flower…

to a variety of heirloom tomatoes that are grown from seed in the greenhouse.

A great pumpkin plant is creeping across the yard…

and a gourd is tucked in, with morning glories for company.

I found swiss chard with cucumbers about to climb over them. This is a great idea for my garden next year!

The corn is coming right along.

I also found some beautiful pepper plants. Notice the army of watering cans in the background? Lots of work is underway here!

Colorful cement blocks decorated by students define the butterfly garden.


and beautiful decorations are everywhere!

After my visit I spoke with my friend Deborah Trammell, one of the teachers who works with the program. She described some of the educational opportunities that the garden offers this way:

 “The students designed, mapped, built, planted, studied and wrote about the garden. Some of the highlights are our composter (around the corner), increase in number of raised beds, butterfly garden against wall, spiral pathway. Many of our plants are started by seed in our greenhouse. We have many heirloom varieties of tomatoes. We have made lots of food from our plants,made bird houses, seed paper,planters …soaps, sachets, linen sprays which we have sold to raise money to donate, learned about pollinators and organic gardening, mapping, construction, fundraising and hard physical work…and so many other things” 

I’d love to see more programs like this. As a parent I have a huge appreciation of the value of gardening with children. It was exciting to visit this beautiful Salem garden where everything the garden teaches is shared and encouraged. I really believe that the world would be a better place if every child could learn from a garden!

Michele

Related articles

Free Family Fun! The Salem Maritime Festival

Tomorrow is the Salem Maritime festival at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site!

Participation is a long-time tradition in our family, as my husband has coordinated parts of it since it began in the early 90s.

There are knots to tie!
The Friendship will be open for tours.

You can explore the beach,

listen to great music,

and visit with animals.

There’s  kite making

and flying!Last year Blackbeard visited!

There are historical re-enactors

and kayakers!

It’s always a wonderful day!

My focus is on the kid’s activities, but there’s  also lots of traditional crafts people who adults can visit with and learn from.

It’s a wonderful celebration of maritime tradition!

And, if you need a quiet moment, be sure to check out the Derby Garden (right behind the Derby House)…

Hope to see you there!!

Michele

Dream House

When I think of my dream house, it’s this one. I’ve gone by it for years and I’ve always loved it.

It’s right on the ocean, here in Salem. 

The borders and architecture are beautiful with just the right mix of colors and textures. Every detail is perfect.

 I love the way the pots of flowers welcome visitors all the way up the steps.

Imagine sitting on this bench and enjoying the view.

And turning around to see the beach!

It’s really a little bit of heaven!

What does your dream house look like?

It’s a Small World

or maybe it’s a small blogosphere?

There are lots of things that I’m enjoying about my little blog, but one of the most interesting and unexpected is the range of places in the world that people visit from.   It’s kind of amazing to me that someone in French Polynesia is checking out what we’re doing here in Salem, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Coastline (NASA, International S....

I’ve also had hits from Australia, Germany, Croatia, Russia, Haiti, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland.

I have frequent views from England, Canada, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

I often hear people say that the world has gotten so much smaller since the internet.  I don’t think that could be more true.

I hope that over time a community will grow here at The Salem Garden. It’s fun to raise chickens and children and gardens together.

We all have so much to learn from each other. Our world is very, very small indeed!

Thank you all for  joining me on my crazy journey! I’m honored every time I see that someone visits.

Enjoy Everything today!

Michele