Tag Archives: Salem

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

Halloween in Salem is Here!

It’s October 1st!  To those of us in Salem, Massachusetts that means that  Haunted Happenings, is here. There is nothing quite like Halloween in Salem! I used to resent all of the traffic and tourists and craziness but then a few things changed. Ten years ago we moved up and out of the downtown. We lived right in the heart of all of the festivities for many years and Halloween really took over our lives. Since we moved to the edge of town Halloween has been something that I enjoy rather than endure. I also went to a Halloween themed decorated barn in Pennsylvania several years ago. I had never really visited another Halloween celebration and I found that I loved it! Suddenly my perception changed and I understood why people love to come here to celebrate.   Over the last several years the city of Salem has pulled together and does an amazing job of managing the month.  There’s lots of police and safety protection, lots of porta johns and lots of great things for people to do.  People love it and it makes great income for most local businesses. I’m hoping to get out there, take photos and share it with you throughout the month of October. If you have a question or if there’s an aspect of the celebration that you’d like me to post about, send me an e-mail or leave a comment. I love to hear about what you like to read about!

Happy Halloween from the Halloween Capital of the World!!

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

What’s Happening in the Garden-September 8

Good Morning! We’ve made it through the first three days of school here. That always feels like a huge accomplishment to me. All of my kids seem to be happy and settling in well in all of their new environments.  I think we’re off to a great start for the school year. Out in the garden things are still perking along. As much as I wanted to have a great fall garden going, our August activities took over and I didn’t get much planted. One of the things that I love about gardening is my hope and plan for next year. Next year there will be brussel sprouts at the very least! Since I just shared that with the world I’ll be feeling very accountable next summer and I’ll find those plants or grow some!

okay, so… here’s the potatoes. I’m waiting for that last plant to die back before we pull them out. Will there be potatoes?? We’ll find out soon!

The pumpkins are ready and just in time… see that dying foliage? I think the squash borer got to them but the pumpkins can be picked so we made it!

Here’s the other one. They really are beautiful!

I’m still picking tomatoes. Roma, roma, roma… really the best tomato to grow if you want to do lots of cooking with them.

More basil! I cut it back hard a month or so ago and now there’s more to freeze and dry.

And the mesclun is ready! I’ll try to add another little bed of this somewhere. If the temps stay warm we’ll have it for awhile!

Peppers are coming along. I never grow enough to really “process and preserve” them the way I’d like to but we’re enjoying them as we pick them.

I cut the oregano way back too. I’ll cut it before it flowers and dry it in the oven. I hope it turns out as nicely as my basil did in August.

Kentucky pole beans. I keep saying that they needed poles, poor things..

A little tiny foxglove peeking out. I love foxglove! It’s nice to see a hint of it in September.

The liatris that I planted are being eaten by bunnies. Enough said. 

This guy keeps an eye on everything.. 

Here’s a view in over the fence. Please notice my complete lack of perfection.  Will someone please pull out those cucumber plants on the left? Really!! It doesn’t have to be perfect all the time, just loved and enjoyed.

And it is!  Off to a kid’s dentist appointment and then the first game of the season for my little guys’ soccer team. Go Tornados!!

Happy Saturday!  Love you all!

Michele

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This Morning’s View, While Weeding

I donated some weeding time to our church auction a few months ago.  This morning was weeding day for the kind friends who purchased my services.  I love to weed! It’s relaxing and I love seeing an area of the garden pop out and shine. I enjoyed it even more than usual today because this was my view:

Peace and tranquility at it’s best!

and a nice finished product at the end!

Well, almost finished, I made a few more passes over this before I was done.

Enjoy everything today!

Love,  Michele

Salem 101: A Walk on Derby Wharf

Here in Salem we have access to ocean air and history all year round. One of the best places to experience this is out on Derby Wharf. It’s a great place to walk and play. The wharf is located right on Derby Street and is part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Pedrick’s Store House is the only building on the wharf. Historically the wharf was lined with warehouses like this that stored goods that came in on ships from all over the world. This building is originally from Marblehead and was moved to Derby Wharf a few years ago.
Next stop on the right is the Friendship, the centerpiece of the historic site, if not the whole city! Friendship is a fully rigged ship that was built by the National Park Service with the support of the Salem Partnership. She provides lots of educational opportunities for visitors from near and far.  Everyone loves the ship!  (Does anyone know this guy on the bike?)  😉She really is a work of art. Did you know that ships are always referred to as “she’s”?  I’m going to have to research this and do a post on why that’s so. This sounds like a good winter project.I love this view of the NPS flag and the American flag together.
Going a few steps further out you’ll find these great exhibits. They teach about navigation and Salem’s maritime history and they add a huge element of fun when you walk with kids!I think my little guy was testing his running speed in nautical miles per hour here.One of the neat things about these exhibits is that their designed to blend in with the wharf. When you look out from the street, or even walk along the path, their very slim and discrete. They tell the story of all that happened on the waterfront over time. 

We’ve reached our destination, the lighthouse!

 I remember sitting on the ground on the other side with my eyes closed  (obviously many, many years ago before kids) and opening them to see a huge German Shepherd standing right over me. He scared me half to death! We were both fine but I think of that dog every time I’m out there.
There’s always lots and lots of boat traffic. It’s fun to watch everything from party boats, to lobster boats to yachts going by.And then there’s the view out to the open ocean. I love to stand here and just breathe in that air!

Turn around and there’s a great view of the houses on Derby Street.

You can’t quite see it but when we were first married Michael and I lived in a little loft apartment over the blue building on the right. The House of Seven Gables is just to the right.Here’s a closer shot. Walking in, more exhibits…

And back to Derby Street!

It’s nice to take a rest in the shade of one of these yards. Their all part of the National Historic Site, so everyone is welcome!

This is really one of my favorite walks in the world. You just can’t beat it, history, exercise and nature all in one place. If you make your way to Salem as a visitor, or if you live here, take a few minutes to take a walk on the wharf!

Michele

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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

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Salem-Ota Week

Last Saturday we welcomed a new member  to our family.  No, no, no… not a new baby, or a new pet, we welcomed a wonderful young girl named Shino. She was visiting from Ota City in Japan. Every year residents of the city of Salem, Massachusetts and the city of Ota visit each other in a unique exchange program. Ota is Salem’s “sister city” and for the past twenty or so years the two cities have fostered an ongoing relationship.  Groups of middle and high school age children and adults travel across the globe to visit each other’s cities.  When the students visit they stay with host families. We have served as a host family for three years. It’s an amazing week full of cultural exchange, family time and fun!

Throughout the week the Ota students travel in the Boston area. During the day their group visits historical spots in Salem . They also travel in to Boston to see Fenway Park, the State House and lots of other interesting and important attractions. The students meet and have lunch with our Mayor and our State Representative.  In the evenings the families are invited to accompany their student to optional family activities like Y night, mini-golf and a lobster pot luck supper. It’s a chance to spend time with families that we wish we saw more often.

The week begins with an opening ceremony and greeting at the House of Seven Gables. Here’s my gang just after we met Shino.

The students experience a week of typical American life.

They become familiar with our food, customs and traditions. It must be a huge adjustment for them, but they rise to the challenge with so much grace and kindness.

The kids made bracelets and watched the Olympics together. It was fun to have them visiting during the Olympics. 

They hung out in the yard. Shino is a baton  twirler and she treated us to a wonderful demonstration!

We made s’mores over the grill. What could be more American than s’mores?

Many of the families met the students at Canobie Lake Amusement Park for a day.

These girls had just experienced the big splash at the end of the Yankee Canonball (except for my little one who was still dry).

The families relaxed and picnicked under the trees.

At the end of the week the students  hold a Sayonara (good-bye) party for the host families.

They served Japanese food and shared aspects of Japanese Culture.

We saw a wonderful karate demonstration.

Learned about origami.

and traditional Japanese games.

The dancing was wonderful! 

At the end of the presentation the students sang for us in English and Japanese.

There were speeches by students,  teachers and members of the Salem-Ota Club.  It was a wonderful party!

Just like the students we’ve hosted before, Shino became a member of our family.

The good-bye, or as we say in the Salem-Ota Club “until we meet again”,  was the hardest part of the week. It always is, but it’s worth every tear.

As the bus pulled away from the curb taking the children back to their families in Japan, the parent standing next to me said “this is what the world needs, there could never be too much of this”.

What a perfect way to summarize our week together!

Tornados in Salem?

Yesterday afternoon we had a tornado warning here in Salem. Seriously, here, in Salem, Massachusetts…on the coast of New England, where we don’t get tornados.

Blaire sent me this photo from downtown as the warning was issued.   Thank you Blaire!!

Just as Blaire sent me the photo above, our cell phones sent my girls and I messages warning us to seek shelter and my husband called to relay the tornado warning that he had also received and to ask me  how things were going. Below is a photo of what I think  was the cloud as it worked it’s way across our backyard.  I took this shot kind of early on as it approached.  I should have stayed with the camera as the wind, rain, lightening and hail went through. I really couldn’t though because I was distracted by the nine children who were playing in my house at the time. They were fine, but I was running from window to window trying to discretely keep an eye on things and thinking about where to stash all of these kids should an actual tornado make it’s way through my neighborhood.

  The news broadcast later in the day reported that a funnel had been spotted in Peabody and Lynn, less than a mile from here. Yikes, that was a little on the close side!

Fortunately, all is well.  There’s no damage to report at our house. The garden is fine and so are the people, pets and property.  Some residents of Salem experienced flash flooding, wind damage and power outages. I hope that things are settling down for all of them today.

We are truly blessed.  It’s good to be reminded of that sometimes.

.

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What’s Happening in the Garden — July 14th

July is kind of a funny month in the garden. It’s in-between in terms of blooming and beauty but it’s so hard at work!

I love watching things grow and change at this time of year.

Our potatoes are flowering! I didn’t know that potato flowers were this pretty.

I have to apologize for the less than clear shot, my camera focus has a mind of its own and this is what it was doing for potatoes this morning.

The Black-eyed Susan are ready to pop!

This is Scarlet Runner Bean climbing on the trellis. It’s ornamental and so pretty.

If you live locally give me a shout if you’d like some seeds for next year.

We have peppers!  There are lots of buds… I hope they make it! I’d better reign that cucumber vine in if I want that to happen.

The dill is ready for pickles. 

Here come some Kentucky Pole beans that I planted as the  peas were winding down.

I hope they make the little leap over to the fence/trellis and start climbing.

This Rosemary plant wintered over. We covered it with a bucket on the coldest days. I usually pot Rosemary up in November and bring it in. It makes it until the middle of January, then I forget to water it just once and it dies immediately.  I had the great pleasure of hearing Adelma Simms speak about herb gardening at Caprilands many years ago. I still remember her saying “a dry rosemary is a dead rosemary”.  I find that to be true almost every winter.

In the coop, the younger side of the chicken flock is still favoring the corner.

They do come forward to eat and drink and their all interacting a little bit more every day. It just takes time.

The tomatoes look happy!

Balloon flower is blooming… such a fun plant!

Kids really enjoy it.

The Liatris bulbs that I planted in June popped up.

They went in kind of late but I think we’ll see some blooms.

As I looked through these photos I saw one common denominator… can you guess what it was? Here’s a hint, there’s some weeding to do  🙂

Thanks for stopping in! Have a great weekend!

Michele