Scenes from the river's edge...

Just a few photos taken out in front of our house..... the Wankinco River is tidal... so at low tide i can do some "beach combing" in the mud.  There was a foot bridge that crossed from our side, across to the little factory compound for the historic Tremont Nail Factory.  Where our house is now;  used to be "workers cottages" (not sure when exactly).... the bridge is all but gone, but it's shell remains.  If you dig in the ground at all you turn up old bottles and broken pottery and pieces of shoe leather, it's like an archeology dig out there!  Lots of fun if you have a few moments on your hands and don't mind a little mud under your nails! 

Everybody LOVES a parade!!

As promised... and a little late. A few of the photos from the St. Patricks Day Parade in Abington, MA !!!

 

Weekend Adventures!!

So first thing last Saturday morning.... I admit I let myself get into a bit of a funk..... The 'adorable' rabbit that I adopted a few years ago, out of the kindness of my heart.... decided to assualt me (again) complete with growling and flailing feet. I suppose i should have thanked her for not actually biting me this time... but I couldn't muster up the words.... She managed to knock the dish of vegetables i had so lovingly cut up completely out of my hand... carrots and grapes flying thru the air, and all over the ground.  She's ill tempered on a good day... but I insist on try to feed her anyway... silly me.  So I moved on to the ducks, who follow me around begging, instead of eating the food that I've already put on the ground (you have to picture me outside, glasses on, hair in a big ruffle... in my aging fleece robe and slippers....) by the time I went back inside i was grumbling as much as  the rabbit.....   I plunked down on the couch to sip my by then luke warm tea.... and flipped huffily thru a magazine sighing alot..... and then the husband said, "Would you like to go for a drive this morning? - We could be back by afternoon for lunch and gardening...."  I thought that sounded like a really good idea.....  So I traded my robe for some real outdoor clothes and off we went!! 

It was beautiful and sunny and warm and we were heading for Westport, MA - about 25 miles away.  It's a little bit of countryside out there still... farm lands that roll down to the ocean.... quaint old houses.... cows; and this is mixed with an active fishing industry as well.   It almost like being in Maine, but much closer to home.   I've only been out there a few times before, even though it's only a few towns away.  We found a lovely walk to go on. It would seem that the property used to be a farm, and that someone donated the land into preservation, so that people can always enjoy it -- instead of building a big ugly house on it.... It was lovely out there, stone walls in abundance... and way out at the end of the walk must have been where the house once was in a clearing.  There was a little pile of rocks with one small lonely gravestone propped against it.  At least his/her final resting place is pretty and peaceful one...

After our walk, we drove on further to Westport Point, just a beautiful long stretch of antique homes on a road that ends at a fishing pier.  A picture perfect slice of New England.

From there we went to the beach for a quick stop to feed the pups... I of course took the opportunity to get out and play with the camera some more!  You can't ever really take too many picturs can you?  Once back in the van again we turned towards home.... and passed by what appeared to be a little country store.  I was hoping for a little sandwich and drink; but what i found inside was magical piece of history, and an over flowing gift shop!  Imagine my delight? 

 There were no sandwiches... but there was ice cream...and there were the cutest little gnomes!

  I had to have one... I have no self control in the face of adorable little figurines...

Can you stand anymore?  And then we came back home, and cleaned out the vegetable garden wth Sophie the rabbit helping us... and I planted my peas....*phewwww,  and then we had a cook out  with Mum to finish off the day !   Sunday was the St Patrick's Day parade.... but you'll will all have to remain in suspense a little longer for that...

(Echos) - Collection

(Echos) - Collection
Originally uploaded by OnionPatchFarm

Bits and pieces from around the farm......
Makes you wonder who broke the dish and what the button fell off of.... 
So many mysteries with an old house, if only they could speak.

Home

It has come to my attention yet again, that I love "home".... and all that it represents. The place where our furry, feathery family and my books and slippers.... and my crafty stuff are.  *sigh.

Weekends just aren't long enough. 

I noticed today that i can see my favorite corner of the kitchen, reflected in the bathroom mirror.....

Even my wet hat drying on the tub faucets seemed pretty today.... despite the gray skies and rain.

I spent some time redecorating my mouse hole today; you cant' do that from work.

and later.... when I'm the going up the stairs to bed, and the house is quiet and everyone is nestling in to sleep; I will, as always, gaze up and smile at the warm glow of my "antique" lamp that lights my way.

St. Patricks Day!

With St. Patricks Day fast approaching .... I thought a  little tribute to Ireland would be nice. 

My Grandfather's family came from Ireland back in the 1850's.

We went to see Ireland for ourselves in 2000.

What an awesome adventure.

This was taken on the property of the house we rented in Millstreet, County Cork.  The land had been in the lady's family for 700 years.  That seems like a remarkably long time.  Pretty funny, looking at the picture now, we're dressed as twins!  :) The "wellies" came with the house; and the lovely owner took her own hiking boots of her trunk and let me borrow them for the length of our stay.... as she didn't think my clogs were the right choice for walking...

This handsome fellow was standing at the base of the Rock of Cashel in Adare.

So, to all Ireland I raise my cup of tea (don't like Guiness, shhhhhhh, don't tell) and salute ye !!  To the people, the sheep and the forty shades of green! 

For each petal on the shamrock.

This brings a wish your way

Good health, good luck, and happiness

For today and every day.

For the love of letters...

What can compare to the delight of  finding a REAL letter in the mailbox?  Or even better; a lumpy and mysterious package with your name on it! The envelopes arrive wearing stamps that are like perfect little miniature works of art...and sometimes they come bearing stickers too.... some are hand written, some are typed, but all are equally welcome in my mail box.  There is just something about knowing that the envelope you hold in your hand was also held by the sender, whether they are just down the street or half way around the world, it's pretty amazing really.  In this modern, hurry up, e-mail it instantly world, there is something comforting about receiving a letter that someone took the time to send you... it may make take a little longer to arrive but it is oh so much more satisfying.   For me (and not all agree - yes, I know..) no lettter should be ripped open willy nilly.... and read standing up by the kitchen sink - or horror of horrors, walking up the drive way!  I have to be comfy and nestled on the couch with a nice cup of tea, for maximum letter enjoyment.

I have a boxes of my Grandmother's old postcards and letters.... It only cost a penny, one little cent to mail a post card... the writing is scratchy  and scrawled in real ink and sometimes even pencil... with short little messages like...."Having a good time, see  you on Saturday"  The scenes on the post cards are most likely long gone... or at least much changed in the 80 plus years since they were printed.  Some of the letters are on hotel stationary.... with lovely drawings of the hotel printed on top... Do those hotels even exist any more? She saved them all...and kept them, quite literaly for the rest of her life. Now i save them, some times i feel like the keeper of time... It is a peek into the past, and a little history lesson too - I find them fascinating...

Lately, in addition to being the lucky recipient of letters from my great Pen Friends around the globe, I have also had the opportunity to correspond with one of the orginal residents of Onion Patch Farm.  Learning from her about the "farm" and it's past just delights me beyond words!

Snail mail has always been part of my world.... As a child i had to write Thank you notes to everyone, for everything.... after every birthday....and every other gift giving occasion... I don't remember that being much fun... but it's never fun when someone is pressuring you to do something.... like your nagging parent... who's trying to make you feel guilty and see it their way.  Of course it was the right thing to do... I see that now. :)  I had pen pals growing up.... the ones you got in back of "Teen" magazine... We had nothing in common, but the thrill of getting mail was not lessened by that fact... as we grew older... we stopped writing as life changed and we moved on. When Scott moved to California, the highlight of my day was getting a letter from him.... yes, I still have them all....  And then when i moved to California the highlight of my day became receiving mail from back East. I wanted to hug every little piece of mail... knowing that my family and friends had held it too... funny how your mind changes with time and situations at hand... 

Then, the most recent chapter begins many years later, when thanks to the magic of the internet I was reintroduced to the land of pen palling and what WONDERFUL friends I have found! 

Moral of my long winded story you ask?

  I suppose it's only that I hope that Snail Mail never ceases to exist... I think it would be a sad, sad loss for the world as we know it; as well as for future generations...  

I shall endeavour to keep the wonderful postal workers the world over busy for many more years to come; as well as my favorite ( if imaginary,)  pigeon friend "J.D." the #1 Air Mail carrier for Pigeon Post!     

Echos - Illuminate

My contribution for "Illuminate"... and a similar scene in miniature.

It's snowing as I type, but i know winter is slipping away...

Winter always  makes me smile inside.