CHRISTMAS CHEER

I've been doing a lot of volunteering this year. Only thing keeping me from getting the Christmas crazies. Here's a picture from this past weekend at Hearthside in Lincoln RI

 

 

Great time for the hundreds of visitors and all of us who helped out in the house.

 

Have also volunteered for some great organizations who make sure adults as well as children don't go without at this time of year. If you aren't already helping somewhere, there's still time to join it. It just makes this season soooo much better and grateful for all we do have.







FLOWER FIX - WINTER SURVIVAL STRATEGY

In years gone by, I'd spend $30 plus for admission and parking at Boston or Providence Flower Shows. Here's a fun alternative that works for me. Try the Attleboro Flower Show to start, only $3 admission, free parking (it's this weekend folks!).

It only takes an hour to go through it and they do serve lunches, but go to the next stop, Briggs Nursery in Plainville (up Rte 152) and have a healthy lunch there. I had the Quiche and free lime water for $5. We garden shopped after eating.

 

 

 

Not done yet.  Jump on Rte 95 South, and go to Roger Williams Botanical Garden in the park. Past the Carousel  on your right. Only $2 admission and so worth it. Take pictures, just sit and soak up the atmosphere or work on a painting. This is how I survived winter. Give it a try.

 





TALLY HO

 

Think costumes!  With Halloween around the corner here's an  opportunity to dress up, volunteer and meet new people. Here I am at Chase Farm for a fox hunt  Downton Abbey style ( no real foxes were use in the making of this event). My assignment was under the tent greeting and assisting guests at banquet-style feast while enjoying the hunt. Gorgeous day, great photo ops and delicious food.

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The Hearthside in Lincoln RI promotes the most fun events ever.  They just finished reenactment of 1904 St Louis Worlds Fair on the grounds and inside. One upcoming event is Victorian Mourning held indoors complete with casket and covered mirrors. Can't wait to participate! Working on costume now with help from Pinterest and Savers. Check on-line for volunteer opportunities. You won't regret it.


TO DO THE ZOO

Yes, lions and tigers Oh My!  Just left Southwick Zoo, and here comes the rain mixed with hail. No matter - great day. This zoo is so worth the drive and price of admission. Located way in the woods it just has a better feel than Roger Williams - less structured, family owned and a lot more wilderness settings.

Wandered an acre or two of woods filled with deer just waiting for our  handful of feed. In fact they greeted us at the entrance - no surprise there.

Best experience was the parakeet enclosure where we were covered in little guys (feed stick is only a dollar).  Try the Skyride for a great overview of park or any other rides (yes, it costs extra, but loads of fun). Thunder clouds finally drove us out, but terrific way to spend the day. Oh yeah, you can bring in your own food and drinks, they take AAA and lots of gift shops carry some very nice items if you really feel the need to buy something.

WOLF WHISTLE

Looking for a very cool experience this winter? Thumbing thru Yankee magazine got me to a 3 page spread on Wolf Hollow in Ipswich MA. On Sunday afternoons you can go and get a wolf experience: a hour long presentations, photo opportunity and a change to meet the seven wolves residing there.

So, I went with family members, one of whom is crazy about wolves and had a great experience. Get there for 1 PM

Its a long trip, so if you get up early, you can either go to Rockports Skiff restaurant and have Anadama bread, buttered or a loaf to go. Yum! Had it there years ago, so its worth a stop. Also, doing Rockport is always a blast.

If youre in a seefood mood instead, Woodmans in Essex has the BEST Ipswich clams ever. Open all winter, so go for it. Been there every time Ive headed up north.

THE GREAT WHALER TALE: A Girl's Guide to Fishing

It's not for everyone, but easy to get hooked. It's not just about catching fish, but sitting out on the water in beautiful spots like by the Sakonnet Lighthouse, facing Newport mansions or trolling past the multi colored cliffs at Gay Head on the Vineyard. Salt spray, rolling landscapes and scudding clouds just enhance the whole experience you get from that first tug on the line to the long exciting haul up to the boat with your catch.

Fear of touching anything slimy is easily eliminated by wearing close fitting rubber and cotton gloves (yes, the come in pink!). They give you enough mobility to bait your hook, remove the hook from fish or perform any other disgusting task required. Time to eat that great lunch you packed ( make anything that doesn't require utensils -trust me!) Just peel off the gloves and the yuck smell goes away.

No need to charter a boat. That can get really, really expensive, so look for friends, friends' boyfriends or husbands or family members with a boat and offer to pay for a share of the gas. It usually works out to be less than $50 as opposed to hundreds. Here are a few of my fishing experiences.

'Captain Mark' knew everything about the sport and everywhere to catch them in his 21 foot Boston Whaler. I got my best biggest fish on  our trips together until it all ended  badly (see relationship blog).

'Captain Charlie' owned the sweetest, newest cleanest boat I've ever been on and would find the prettiest spots to fish in the nicest weather possible.(obviously superlative girl fishing!)  All my catch would be filleted and bagged which brings up an important point. You never have to clean a fish! I did it just once for the experience. Once again, this is GIRL fishing.

Currently, I have 'Captain Kirk' (aka brother dear). Had the pleasure of teaching him what I have learned about the sport, and we go out frequently in his Boston Whaler and have a great time and good catches.

Hope my little guide will help. Now is a great time to start cultivating one of the boating boys and getting ready for a little fishing fun on the water this summer.

Beaches



Last heat wave knocked us all flat.  Instead of packing for an hours and  making a long, traffic filled trip to the ocean, try local beaches and lakes for easy day's enjoyment for as little as  $5 during the week. Cut travel time to under 30 minutes, and the little beaches are never as crowded,  I can usually park under trees, and it's much easier to keep an eye on the kids and relax without worrying about undertow, or losing sight of them in the mobs of people.

I'd much rather have them in calm water , having just as much fun usually with lots of other kids to play with. This is the beach my mother used to take us to long ago. It was very wild then, but we'd play in the dunes, hunt for horseshoe crabs and steam mussels over an open fire in an empty coffee

can. Now there is a great playground and a giant slide to amuse the children. Most town beaches have lots of amenities, including snack bars. Oh, by the way, this is Pierces Beach in Somerset, MA. 

 



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. Hint for today:  freeze inexpensive 8 oz. water bottles and use them as cool packs, then as they melt, you have lovely icy cold water. Fill them with lemonade or other drink and get same effect. Kids love it, call them "pods"". Take them everywhere: car, ball games. camping.