New England Nomad

November 14, 2015

Mayflower II (Plymouth, MA)

After visiting Plimoth Plantation, the next obvious destination was the Mayflower II. The Mayflower II, an exhibit of the Plimoth Plantation, is a replica of the original Mayflower. It is located only a few miles from Plimoth Plantation in the Frazier Memorial State Pier.

Before you board the boat, you are informed the people on the boat are still living in the 17th century. They are not aware of cellphones, automobiles or any other modern day comforts. There is a replica of the Mayflower Compact in the entrance to the boarding area.

Actors on the boat discuss the duties of crew members and portray people from that era. This man reminded me of James Franco, particularly because of his dry sense of humor.

The quarters of the Mayflower were not the most comfortable. Not exactly Carnival Cruise.

The views from the harbor were very pretty.

Meet Porsche, a service dog I saw as I was leaving the pier.

18 Comments | tags: Attraction, boat, dog, harbor, Historical, history, Massachusetts, MayflowerII, New England, Plymouth, ship, view, water | posted in attraction, boat, dog, harbor, historical, history, massachusetts, Mayflower, Mayflower II, New England, Plymouth, ship, view, water

November 10, 2015

Whitney And Thayer Woods (Cohasset, MA)

By New England Nomad

The unseasonably mild weather (at least mild for New England) has allowed for a longer than usual fall hiking season. Taking advantage of this unusually warm weather, I traveled to the South Shore jewel of Whitney And Thayer Woods in Cohasset, MA.

With the exception of a stray cloud here and there, a clear blue sky, bright sun and an intermittent breeze greeted me at the woods.

The park is a loop that covers a few miles. There is a bike trail and runners frequent the trails.

Although the peak of the fall foliage season has passed, there were still some vibrant orange, gold and amber colors hanging on to the trees.

A rolling stone gathers no…never mind.

There were quite a few dogs on the paths. It was a perfect day for dog walking. I have determined that getting most dogs to pose for the camera is about as easy as splitting the atom.

Lilly enjoyed the warm sun.

Chester was very excited to be at the park.

Olive was happy to see me. Don’t worry. She was a sweetheart.

I didn’t get this dog’s name. But he or she posed perfectly!

I have more shots from my trip to Whitney And Thayer. So, I am breaking up this blog into two parts. The second part will include some photos from the Weir River Farm located just outside of the wooded area. For a sneak peak and for some additional photos not included in this blog, stop by my Facebook page: New England Nomad

Check out my other blog, Mr. Wayne please. Thank you.

13 Comments | tags: Cohasset, dogs, foliage, leaves, Massachusetts, New England, Park, Photography, photos, rocks, Whitney And Thayer Woods, woods | posted in Cohasset, dogs, foliage, leaves, Massachussetts, New England, park, photography, photos, rocks, woods

November 9, 2015

On The Waterfront (Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

As you may have noticed, I tend to visit the parks, small towns and quaint villages in the New England area. I much prefer the quaint areas and nature to the hustle and bustle of the city. But, living so close to Boston, I felt it was time to get my camera and show off my charming city.

As I began my journey in the city, I got off the bus at one of the more fanciful designed train stations, South Station.

I avoided some of the more populated areas and stuck to the area where my work office is, near the financial district and the the wharf and waterfront area.

The buildings in this area are impressive.

The Boston Children’s Museum is located on the boardwalk.

Due to time constraints and the blocked off areas due to the construction in the area as well as the lack of good photography weather (overcast and threatening rain), I didn’t take too many photos. I plan on coming back another day after most of the construction is complete and the weather is better. But, I did manage to get some photos of some of the interesting things I saw along the way.

The boat Eleanor, docked at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

Art work titled Who Wears Wool? in the harbor.

This piece of art was draw on a wall in the city.

A cool bike I saw in my travels.

There is a lot of construction going on in the area. Cranes and half built structures dot the landscape.

A father and son watching the construction workers.

I also met Murray in my travels.

Just an fyi, I am going to begin posting extra photos that I am not including on my WordPress blog on my Facebook page. Of course, I will post my favorite photos on these blog posts. Sometimes, people have told me they have a hard time viewing the photos on my posts, because I include so many photos. So, I am going to post photos that don’t make it on my blog to my Facebook page and I will be breaking some blog posts into 2 rather than one big post. I will also be posting some of my photos in the smaller format (as you may have noticed). Hopefully, you can click on them if you want to see the full sized photo. I am going to update my Facebook page regularly with videos, photos and other fun stuff not included in my blogs. So, please stop by and see what’s new there! I hope you like my Facebook page and follow me here: New England Nomad

17 Comments | tags: architecture, Boston, buildings, construction, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, wharf | posted in architecture, boardwalk, Boston, buildings, construction, dogs, massachusetts, New England, wharf

November 7, 2015

Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, MA)

By New England Nomad

Walking into Plimoth Plantation is like walking back in time.

The constructed plantation is both educational and entertaining.

A short video running in the visitor center runs on a loop and gives you some background of the plantation. It also gives a little history of the historical of the place a history of the area.

The plantation is divided into two sections: the Wampanaog Homesite and the Colonial English community of the 1600’s.

All of the people on the Wampanaog Homesite are Native Americans (they’re not actors or re-enactors). They are from the Wampanaog tribe or one of the other tribes indigenous to the Plymouth area. A cutout on the trail before you reach the Wampanoag Homesite reminds visitors that not every native American “is the same”. While most of the people residing at the Homesite are Wampanoag, not all of them are. Also, the cutout reminds people to not call the people “braves” or any other demeaning and sterotypical term as they are not considered compliments or polite ways to address the people there.

The views on the way to the Homesite and at the main visitor center are very pretty.

This is a Gathering Circle located on the trail to the Wampanoag Homesite.

The Native Americans at the Homesite tell stories about their life there and describe what tasks they are completing.

This woman was showing how they cook their food and answering questions from the visitors.

The Native Americans answer questions inside one of the wigwams at the plantation.

These men were hollowing out a boat.

There are structures made with the same materials and the very same way they were built in the 1600’s and earlier.

This is a meeting room where elders and the rest of the people would meet to discuss issues affecting the community.

After exiting the Wampanoag Homeesite, a stairway leads to the English side of the plantation

Everything past this sign is pure 17th century. The structures, the clothing the people wear and the way the people speak are all from the 1700’s. This fort acted as a lookout.

The people even wash their clothing the old way.

The inside and outside of the houses closely mimic the houses of the 1700’s

Actors inhabit the homes.

This woman said “My Christian name is Sarah” when I asked her what her name is.

This man and his wife were getting ready for dinner when I stopped by. it looks like a cozy little place.

There are also actors walking throughout the plantation.

This woman was making apple tarts, the old fashioned way.

Plimoth Plantation has a limited amount of livestock. There is a bull and a hawk.

There is a dining and rest area outside of the plantation area.

There is also Nye Barn located on the way out of the plantation.

In other news, I have been nominated for a Liebster Award on my other blogging profile (Mr. Wayne)! Please follow the link below to read about the nomination, see my answers to the questions sent to me and to see who I nominated for this award at Mr. Wayne’s Blog

36 Comments | tags: Historical, history, Massachusetts, New England, Photography, photos, Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth | posted in historical, history, massachusetts, New England, photography, photos, Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth

November 5, 2015

Callahan State Park (Framingham, MA)

By New England Nomad

If you have a dog or if you are a pooch lover like I am and you live in the Massachusetts area, then you must make a trip out to Callahan State Park in Framingham, MA. In fact, they should rename it Canine State Park.

When I arrived at the park, shortly before 9 on a Saturday morning, the fairly ample parking lot was already almost full. It did not take long to find some cute canines to photograph. I had more trouble deciding which dogs to photograph.

Casey wanted to get an extra close up photo.

Lucky’s dad used a ball to get his attention.

Luna looked right at the camera for me.

Shelby wasn’t sure if he should play with his ball or pose for me.

Finn, an Australian cattle breed mix, wanted to say hi. Right after I took this photo, he ran up to me and snuggled with me.

Heboo dressed for the seasonably chilly weather with a sweater.

Ella gave me a big smile for her photo.

Duke (on your left) and Pete (on your right) were busy looking at their mom/walker.

Gracie looked sharp!

This guy was a great poser!

Leaves carpeted most of the trails and the foliage was not at its peak. But, there were still so many pretty views.

There is lots of open land for dogs to play or run around on.

There is a creek that runs across the park

It began to rain, only for a few minutes, when I was at the creek. It stopped just after I get a few shots of the rain making ripples on the water.

Callahan State Park also has a pond.

There is a little island in the middle of the pond.

This rock caught my eye.

The dogs went in for swim and one of them even retrieved a stick.

The park has a circular path which is great for joggers and anyone who wants to take a leisurely walk. The Greater Framingham Running Club held a 5k/10k run the day I was there.

The runner in blue and yellow waved to me. Who said runners aren’t friendly?

There are so many things you can do at Callahan State Park. This radio plane enthusiast took his plane out for a spin.

This father and son their bikes for a ride.

If you want to check out my other blog on WordPress, please click here. Thank you.

24 Comments | tags: creek, dogs, foliage, Framingham, Massachusetts, New England, Park, Photography, photos, pond | posted in bikers, creek, dogs, Fall, foliage, Framingham, Massachussetts, New England, park, photography, photos, pond, runner, toy plane, trees

November 4, 2015

Historic Homes of Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

The historical homes of Salem help give the city a quaint feel. You almost feel like you’re stepping into the pre-Colonial and Colonial days of New England as you traverse these historic areas. They also help keep the city connected to its past. The homes of Salem range from the wood houses to the brick structures you see scattered around the city. But, they are all beautiful in their own right.

There are 46 homes listed on the national register of historic homes in Salem, MA. Don’t worry, I only photographed a few of them. Let’s start with the John Ward House. John Ward was a currier (a leather finisher)

The John Ward House, now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, is an example of First Period architecture. Originally built at a different location (St Peter Street, only a few blocks away from its current location) in 1684, the house had many renovations over the years. It is located just down the street from the Salem Witch Museum.

The Joshua Ward House, located closer to the Salem district area, has a more sordid history. It is built on the same land as the birthplace of the former Sheriff George Corwin. Corwin is known for his overzealous involvement in the questioning and torture of accused witches during the Salem Witch Hysteria. The house is said to be haunted by Corwin. Additionally, George Washington is said to have spent a night there in 1789.

The Corwin House, also known as the “Witch House” is located a little farther away from the center of town on Essex Street. It is the house where accused witches were allegedly tortured in the hopes they would confess. The fact these accused witches could withstand some of his tactics such as strangulation and still held their innocence is testament to their strength and integrity. Naturally, this house is said to have paranormal activity.

There are quite a few houses on Brown Street that have a pre-Colonial or Colonial look to them. Many of them are decorated for the holiday season. Here are a few

Closer to the wharf, there are a cluster of historic homes.

This home was built in 1843 by Johnathan Whipple

This home, belonging to Penn-Townsend (a mariner), was built in 1771.

This home, built by Jesse Kenney (a trader), was built in 1804.

Along Derby Street, there are a few historic homes, directly across from the wharf. The Custom House remains in its original location there. A park ranger stands at the base of the stairwell (on your right).

The Hawkes House is the former home of Benjamin Hawkes, a ship builder and prominent resident of Salem.

Of course, this is one of the most famous buildings in Salem, Massachusetts. There was no photography allowed in the House of the Seven Gables. So, I did not go in as I have already been there several times and the only reason to go on a tour this year would be to photograph the inside of the building.

There are also some pretty inns adjacent to to The House of the Seven Gables.

But, the really impressive homes were on Chestnut Street. This house was built in 1850 for Francis Cox, a merchant.

Some of the neighbors did not take kindly to my photography. But, I carried on.

Deacon John Stone,a distiller, lived here.

Even the sidewalk and street are charming.

This house was built in 1832 for Elizabeth King.

Many of the historic homes have been converted to residencies. In fact, almost all of them seemed to be inhabitated either as homes, apartment buildings or inns. This house was originally built in 1804 for Amos and Solomon Towne.

Some of these homes are so beautiful during the fall season. I can only imagine how pretty they must look during the winter with freshly driven snow falling on the trees and walkways.

This was my favorite house on Chestnut Street. It wasn’t as big as some of the other buildings. But, it was cozy and cute.

It was originally built by Stephen C. Phillips.

I met Penuche (named after the fudge maybe?).

And Lola.

This concludes my journals from my trips to Salem, at least for now. My next few blogs will deal with other parts of the wonderful New England area.

13 Comments | tags: architecture, buildings, dogs, historic, Historical, homes, Massachusetts, New England, Photography, photos, Salem | posted in architecture, buildings, dogs, historical, history, homes, massachusetts, New England, photography, photos, Salem

November 2, 2015

The Statues of Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Salem, MA and the people of Salem are known for more than just the well publicized witch hysteria. While the city remembers this somber time with memorials, they also have other monuments, statues and other decorations, particularly during the Halloween season.

This is probably the most recognized statue in Salem. It is the statue of Roger Conant, the founder of Salem. Because of the dark, foreboding image of the statue and the fact that it is located directly in front of the Salem Witch Museum, it is often at first glance considered a monument in tribute to the victims of the witch hysteria. That was my thoughts when I first saw it as a younger person. As an fyi, it is very hard to take a photo of the statue without throngs of crowds nearby doing the same thing, often times ruining your photo. I had to arrive very early Halloween day to get this photo without a lot of people or car traffic. It is a very popular stop for tourists.

While we’re all familiar with people like Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are other people who were pivotal members of Salem that are less noted than Hawthorne like the reverend Theobald Mathew, an apostle of temperance, according to the script on the statue. Even if you’re not familiar with people like Mathew, the artwork and of the statues is enough to impress anyone.

Speaking of Hawthorne, just farther down the road on, you guessed it, Hawthorne Boulevard is the Nathaniel Hawthorne statue.

One of the things you have to love about Salem is they don’t try to sweep the past under the rug and they try to educate others about tolerance. This sign for the Witches Education League is an example of this.

There is also a memorial to the The Blue Star Memorial Program which is dedicated to all of the men and women who serve in the United States armed services.

Salem has another memorial dedicated to a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, John Phillip Riley. Riley is one of 5 Medal of Honor recipients from Salem, dating back to the Civil War.

This memorial is dedicated to the Boys of the Immaculate Conception who served during World War I.

This monument, located in Salem Common, is a tribute to those who died during World War II

The Salem Fire Department has two memorials at their Ladder 2 station.

One memorial is a memorial to the victims of September 11.The metal in the middle of the monument is from the rubble at Ground Zero. The two concrete beams in the background represent the North and South towers at the World Trade Center.

There are two ceramic angels in a cup placed on the memorial. People leave pennies in honor of the victims.

The other memorial at the fire station is in honor of the firefighters from their station who have paid the ultimate price

Closer to the heart of the city, there is also a monument with a quote from Eli Wiesel.

During the Halloween festivities, the original water pump was displayed in the main drag of the walk way on Essex Street. This is the original pump the people of salem had to use before they had indoor plumbing and other amenities we take for granted.

Some of the monuments, statues and signs are more lighthearted like the Bewitched statue in Lappin Park. Little known fact: some of the Bewitched shows were filmed in Salem, MA.

This placard reminds us that even ghosts like bacon.

I also met some very cute dogs during my travels.

There was Massie

Creed

And Harley. Harley didn’t like my camera. But, he felt safe when he was with his dad.

and this cute fella whose name I didn’t get.

As these monuments, statues, memorials, signs and dogs have shown, there is more to Salem than just the Halloween festivities. My next blog will deal with the impressive architecture of the homes, museums and other buildings of the Salem area from my recent visits.

4 Comments | tags: dogs, Historical, history, Massachusetts, memorials, monuments, New England, Photography, photos, Salem, statues | posted in history, histrorical, massachusetts, memorials, monuments, New England, photography, photos, Salem, statues

November 1, 2015

Happy Halloween (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

It’s official. I’m a Salemholic. Today was my third visit to the Halloween Hub of America this October. But, what better place to spend this crisp autumn Halloween?

I have never been so happy while at the same time being packed in one concentrated area.

The costumes ranged from the absurdly cute

to the classics like witches

The “Ghost Busters”

Shrek

The creature from Where The Wild Things Are

The sharks and banana from the Katy Perry halftime Super Bowl show

Edward Scissorhands (probably the costume of the day)

Willy Wonka (with an Oompa Loompa and Violet Beauregard). I guess Violet still hasn’t learned her lesson about eating the “three course meal gum.”

Star Wars (I especially like how they mixed it up a bit and used Luke’s ty fighter costume rather than the robe you usually see him wear)

Darth Vader was understandably upset that he just missed Luke and company

Snape (I think he cursed me)

Alice Cooper

Jigsaw

Jason (he brought his mommy with him, isn’t that sweet?)

Or, is this the real Jason?

and his buddy Freddy

Snap, Crackle and Pop (in that order) took time from eating breakfast to pose

Father Time didn’t look a day over infinity

I found Waldo (actually quite a few Waldos). He wasn’t that hard to find!

The occult leader from the blockbuster hit, Eyes Wide Shut (or so I was told)

I told this guy I was curious if I could take his photo. He didn’t get the play on words but he was friendly nonetheless

And, of course, a Halloween festival isn’t the same without Frankenstein

One of the best things to see is when a family or couple or group of friends get dressed up together. After all, the couple that haunts together stays together. Or, something like that.

Some came dressed as familiar characters like Beetlejuice and Lydia (is she not a dead ringer for Winona?)

and Ron Burgundy with Veronica Corningstone (he’s Kind of a big deal)

Mario and crew

The Joker (in crocs) and nurse

Elliott, E.T. and Gertie

Dorothy, Glinda “the Good Witch” and the “Wicked Witch”

Alice in Wonderland

Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf (I guess they patched things up)

Fred, Wilma and Pebbles

And some came dressed in these other creative costumes

This guy was giving out free hugs

Believe it or not, he actually had a few takers

But, the dogs stole the show! Whether in costume or not, they all looked great!

Dogald Trump was there

Milo stood tall for his photo!

Goliath is a gentle giant

Named after the popular dish from New Orleans, Gumbo, a rescue from New Orleans, posed perfectly!

Sam, the “zombie dog” was the cutest zombie in Salem.

Zoe wished me a “Happy Halloween”!

Lucy was the fairest of them all

Due to the large crowds and the hectic atmosphere, I was unable to get the names of all the dogs from their moms and dads. But, I did want to share their photos.

A great day for everyone, 2 legged or 4 legged. I will be posting a few more Salem blogs later this week mostly dealing with the memorials, statues and impressive architecture from the area and probably a few more dogs ( : If I included all my photos from my trips in this blog it would have been even longer and I didn’t want to over do it. Until next year, Salem! Have a Happy and Spooky (well, not too spooky) Halloween!

20 Comments | tags: costumes, dogs, Fall, fun, Halloween, impersonators, Massachusetts, New England, Photography, photos, Salem | posted in costumes, dogs, Fall, fun, Halloween, massachusetts, photography, photos, Salem

October 30, 2015

The Burying Point (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Nestled behind the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, is the final resting place for some of Salem’s earlier residents; the Burying Point. Located among the bustling downtown Salem area, the Burying Point is the oldest cemetery in Salem, MA,

Tour groups and visitors from all over the country walk over sacred graves. In fact, the Burying Point is one of the most popular attractions in Salem.

The cemetery is well kept and the vast majority of the visitors are respectful of the tenants there. The one thing I find to be a little weird, besides the obvious weirdness of walking around a cemetery as though it was an “attraction”, was the “haunted house” located feet away from the cemetery. I’m generally not one to care either way, but it still felt odd hearing ghastly screams and people ordering hot apple cider while we stroll along the cemetery.

Although many headstones are difficult to read, it is worth observing that many of them show the female deceased as the “wife of…” Just another sign of the times.

While many of his relatives reside in the cemetery of the overly commercialized town of Salem, Nathaniel Hawthorne is not buried in Burying Point. Instead he rests in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts.

The storied feud of Nathaniel Hawthorne and his ancestors is of legend. Just to recap, John Hathorne, a Salem magistrate, was appointed by the then Governor Sir William Phips to be a judge in the Salem Witch Trials. However, during the trials, he acted more like a prosecutor than a judge. He would often presume the guilt of an accused witch and demand they confess to witchcraft as well as pressuring accused witches to name other witches after they were inevitably found guilty or they confessed under pressure of Hathorne and his court. He became known as a “hanging judge”.

In light of his ancestors misdeeds, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Judge Hathorne’s great grandson, would change his name by adding a “w” after the “Ha” in his last name and he would distance himself farther from Judge Hathorne by penning The Scarlet Letterand speaking out against the deeds of his ancestor.

Judge William Hathorne’s grave is on the left in this photo, next to his son’s much larger gravestone. No one left anything on his gravestone.

I wanted to thank everyone who reads, likes and leaves comments on my blogs. It is appreciated. I also wanted to mention that I have begun (resumed) blogging as Mr.Wayne after a fairly long hiatus. I have always been a writer at heart and, after being inspired by so many wonderful blogs on wordpress, I have decided to resume my written blogs again, in addition to my photoblogs. Please view my most recent post What Could Have Been. Thank you.

37 Comments | tags: Burying Point, cemetery, graves, gravestones, headstones, Historical, history, John Hathorne, Massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, New England, Photography, photos, Salem | posted in Burying Point, cemetery, graves, gravestones, headdstones, historical, history, John Hathorne, massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, New England, photography, photos, Salem

October 27, 2015

Haunted Decorations (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

There’s something magical about Halloween. It’s a time when adults can still pretend to be a kid again, even just for one night. Even the most mature, sober person can forget their responsibilities and relive their carefree days just a little.

For the remainder of the week, I will be posting the remaining photos from my trips to Salem, MA. In this edition, I am posting photos of the various decorations, some other miscellaneous things and, of course, a few dogs from my travels in Salem.

Salem is known world wide for getting into the spirit of Halloween. Everywhere you look, there are decorations of the season.

Besides the vendors selling merchandise there are also games and other fun types of activities. This particular activity was meant to see if people could maintain eye contact with a complete stranger and possibly make a connection, even on just a platonic level. It sounds like a good ice breaker to me. The comments about the activity on the board are very interesting and humorous.

Salem is also creative in how they tie the season to other causes like this witch who encourages people to keep Salem “wicked” clean.

Even Witch’s Brew Cafe got into the mix.

Other stores and attractions, many open only for the Halloween season, decorate for the season.

Some stores have humorous names without even realizing it. Of course, this is a name of a hole in a barrel that often contains alcohol. But, it may have a double meaning..

This is why Salem is so great. The people even get into it. This resident decorated his or her residency and put out a can for donations for the Lion’s Club.

This ghostly figure was seen in Salem harbor.

Salem is also known for its art and not just during the Halloween season. There is art everywhere it seems. These paintings on Essex Street portray a mermaid and a fish-type creature.