Rainy/sunny 4th of July weekend

About a month ago, I wondered why I would ever have written about my own weekends during past summers.  A week ago, I was reminded of the answer: with students and faculty out and about, by mid-summer, I’m starting to run short of blog topics.  So why not highlight the fun things you can do in Our Neighborhood by writing about what I actually do.

The weekend’s July 4 Independence Day holiday in the Boston area started on the 3rd and continued through the 5th.  With Hurricane Arthur working its way up the East Coast, organizers of the traditional July 4 celebration in Boston decided that moving the event forward to July 3 gave them the best chance of delivering the Boston Pops performance and fireworks display that locals and tourists would expect.  They made a good call, and managed to complete nearly all of the program before the first of the rains arrived.  Other towns postponed their celebrations to July 5, with the result that the holiday seemed to last for three days instead of one.  (Boston, with its important role in the Revolutionary War, offers plenty of activities for the 4th.)

The hurricane passed well to the east of Massachusetts.  It rained and rained on Friday, but that was pretty much the story.  We woke up on Saturday to a fantastic day.  Paul (my husband) and I were glad that our plan to visit George’s Island was looking good, so off we went to grab the ferry.  About 45 minutes after the boat pulled away from the dock, we were in a place that feels both near the city and far away.  Here’s the view of Boston from the island, with the buildings of Boston peeking between the sailboats.

view from George's Island

Though we always enjoy the ride out to the Harbor Islands, this time we were motivated by a Pretty Things Beer Tasting (Pretty Things being based in Somerville), accompanied by local music.  We quite liked “The Sea The Sea.”

On the ferry ride back to Boston, we saw plenty of other sea travelers, and also noted the last effects of the hurricane — gusty wind and choppy seas.

Ride Home

On the subway ride home, I sat across from someone who looked familiar, and who was carrying a Tufts water bottle.  Maybe a Fletcher student, but not one I know.  I’m going to try to figure it out, having passed on the opportunity to ask while we were on the train.

Sunday morning found us at our favorite beach in Revere, where the special on the seagulls’ menu was crab.  They stood on rocks, waiting for the crabs to walk by, and then grabbed their breakfast.  It’s an urban beach, but with no shortage of wildlife.

Seagulls

And that’s the first of my summer weekend reports.  In a morning conversation with Dean Stavridis yesterday, I sang the praises of the Boston Harbor Islands, and I hope all current and future students have a chance to ferry on over, as well as to visit Revere Beach, plan for a July 4 on the Esplanade, and explore the local beer and music scene.  There’s a lot to do in the Boston area and, given the compact nature of the city, a weekend can include a range of different activities.

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