The Tree

Behind the library at Salve Regina is an amazing tree. It's really like a house. I don't know what kind of tree it is, but it reminds me of the banyan trees on Maui where the branches reach to the ground, take root and grow up again.

Although I have finished another book, I don't think it deserves a whole entry to itself. I grabbed Louise Erdrich's newest book, Shadow Tag, from the browsing shelf at Honnold before we left, but I should have read the reviews before I checked it out. You know, if you want to write about your completely dysfunctional marriage as a catharsis, you don't actually have to publish it for all to read.

Cliff Walk - Newport, RI

Newport is known for its historic mansions and the Cliff Walk along the Atlantic Ocean. While we didn't walk the whole 3.5 miles, we went about as far as we could, given the humidity of the afternoon. At least there was a breeze which helped greatly. Here are a few shots.

There are several tunnels along the walk, and this one afforded the best view for picture-taking.
Here is the famous house, The Breakers, right along the walk next to Salve Regina University. I'm not sure I want to pay $19 to tour the inside....but it sure is beautiful on the outside.

Rhode Island

Today we said good-bye to our dear friends and hopped a charter bus to Newport, Rhode Island and Salve Regina University. We have seen the outsides of many lovely homes, walked in the humidity, and had dinner in the college dining hall. Here is our dorm, an old house with little twists and turns everywhere. Our room is on the second floor - a corner room with great cross-ventilation. Meetings start tonight for the scientists while guests get to relax and enjoy the cool evening.

28th Anniversary on the Freedom Trail

We chose the most beautiful weather for our walk along the red brick Freedom Trail to celebrate our anniversary today. Deciding, first of all, to skip the Bunker Hill monument, we started at the USS Constitution and wound our way through historic Boston to end up at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square - 2.6 miles of happy wandering (including a cannoli).

This evening we went to The Fireplace Restaurant in Brookline where we sat outside on Beacon Street and enjoyed the fine cuisine and even better conversation with our dear friends.

Cambridge and Boston!

Hooray! We made it to Logan Airport by 7:20 this morning. After trying to recuperate a bit from the red-eye, Emily took us to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in the Fens. Hal had never been, but I had taken the girls there in January of 1993. Not much has changed! My favorite room was the last one we went to - the Gothic Room - which happened to have a Giotto which made me think of Claire.

Then Hal and I wandered Harvard and Harvard Square finding things we remembered from our sabbatical year, including the Christ Church (where George and Martha Washington worshipped one New Year's Eve) ...
and the Garden Nursery School behind the church where Claire spent many happy hours.
I think it will be an early bedtime tonight!

Preparation

New experiment in August travel this year. Usually we pack up early in the morning and head off to Yosemite. While today is the first day of vacation, we are still home, packing, cleaning, enjoying leisurely preparations for an airplane, bed-camping trip. While a red-eye isn't always fun, the trip should be. A few days in Boston, 5 days in Newport, RI where Hal will attend a Gordon Research Conference, and ending up for a few days in the Big Apple where we hope to see a show, some art museums, and sights.

One of the good things about this particular trip is that Claire will be able to take care of the house - that means still picking peaches, tomatoes, and squash, throwing out the junk mail before we even see it, and cooling the house down every night, among other things.

Another great thing is that we are having 3 rooms painted while we are gone. Not only will we enjoy the new colors upon our return, it has given me a great reason to clear out the clutter in preparation for painting.

East Coast, here we come!

A Take on Virgil

Reading this book puts another piece in the puzzle that I am putting together in my mind about Rome and Italy. Of course, Lavinia by Ursula LeGuin is based on Virgil's Aeneid, mythology of early, early Rome and not "true" history. Lavinia is a minor, fleeting character in Virgil's epic poem, and LeGuin breathes life into her and places her into the Romulus/Remus story, as well. As I read the book, I was drawn to learning more of the story of the Trojans, the Etruscans and Latins who helped create Rome.

Tomatoes to Gazpacho

Take fresh heirloom tomatoes, a pepper and onion from your garden (and some other ingredients), find this recipe on the internet and voila! gazpacho! Perfect for a summer evening.

Wolf Hall

After working on this 532-page book for most of the summer, I have come to the end of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. This book came highly recommended to me by two of my friends, and the subject matter is some of my favorite - the court of Henry VIII. Mantel's tale centers on Thomas Cromwell and his rise to become the king's number one.

I have to say that I must not be the most sophisticated reader because this novel was not an easy read. On the one hand, I appreciate and enjoy Mantel's prose which is beautiful. On the other hand, it is not always clear who is talking or what is happening.

Farewell Iona and Phil

Today our congregation said goodbye to our associate pastor, Iona, and her husband Phil. Iona will be taking on an associate pastorship in New York about 30 minutes from her parents who will now be able to spend more time with their granddaughter, Eliza. Such transitions are always bittersweet. Iona has been at our church for 10 years, present as our daughters navigated their teen years and moved through college.

In typical church tradition, we had to celebrate with an all-church potluck after the service.

All the best to you, Iona and Phil!