The Lovely Cape Ann Day

It's been a hectic Spring for Roy and me, so we took a day off. Destination of choice for recuperating our joy in life?
Cape Ann, on the North (of Boston) Shore of Massachusetts.

Cape Ann has history, some of it grim, but romantic on a balmy May morning.

Our general route followed 127, which loops twistily around the Cape. By the time we had seen Cape Ann's three giant wind turbines from every direction, my sense of both chronologic and geographic order was scrambled. The day will unfold here according to artistic license.

Roy at the monument to the families
of fishermen lost at sea.

Years ago, during the months I was rejoining the loving world after losing my first husband, I made some capital investments. One was the car I have eulogized in previous blogs. Another was an Olympus digital camera, the first new camera I'd had since my brother Ralph bought me a Brownie flash camera with money from his paper route. I'll never forget the magic of that childhood
gift-giving. 

I was also energized by my grown-up purchase, the Olympus -- until I discovered I could take no more than 15 pictures before the batteries gave out.  I bought a pink, plug-in recharger. Same work span. When Roy came into my life, showering me with gifts, one of the first was a cell phone. The little Samsung took great pictures, in almost endless capacity and easy to download or email, so I put away the Olympus.

Years later, and with the prospect of a scenic day off in idyllic weather, I pulled the Olympus out from the back of my electronics drawer, stole two fresh batteries from the household supply, reviewed the user's guide, and voila -- I'm on at least double the quantity of pictures I used to get and still clicking. Roy buys good batteries. Now it's the Samsung, already demoted to just a camera with the advent of another cell, that's relegated to the drawer.

And here to prove her new-old camera is your
blotographer, at a park in Gloucester.
Photo by Roy (RHB).

This Gloucester beach was reachable by a
bridge-boardwalk over a tidal river. (RHB)

Just to the left of the above scene loom the giant wind turbines.

How clear the water in the tidal river!  (RHB)

In fact, the water we saw at every stop was clear and inviting. Can't wait until the grandchildren discover this river and beach.

After the boardwalk, we walked out onto this wide,
glorious beach with its picturesque headland.

At yet another miracle of a beach, we stopped
for a take-out picnic from Dunkin' Donuts.

Sailor Stan's had failed us -- all out of blueberry
muffins by 10:30 a.m. But they had obviously
succeeded in feeding quite a crowd, this first
warm weekend morning of the season. (RHB)

Leaning out the passenger side window, I took
 this shot of a laid-back bicyclist on the "Tour de Cure"
 which competed for the road around Cape Ann all afternoon.

We capped off our beach-combing with a breeze
through Boston, one of the world's most picturesque
cities, entering via the Big Dig bridge.

Old State House holds its own amid
towering behemoths from many eras.

Architectural detail, missing in much mid-century building.

And again I say .   .  . 

Sunday afternoon Boston street fair, caught on the drive-by.

Another drive-by photo, this one with an unintended
message: "Do Not Enter" Boston's fabled Chinatown.
On the contrary, DO enter.

The specacularity of the clouds intensified as we headed home
via the Mass Pike, filled to the brim with the peace
of our lovely day on Cape Ann.