Month: April 2025

Hiking the Mattapoisett Rail Trail

Posted on by Markman

This scenic and spectacular mile that crosses the Mattapoisett River estuary, salt marshes, and Reservation Beach at the head of Mattapoisett Harbor connects neighborhoods and conservation areas with car-free biking and walking. I also caught a glimpse of an American Oystercatcher, a first for me!

This one is so awesome, especially where the river meets the sea!

The last few pics for from Ned’s Point Light which isn’t too far from the rail trail.

The Museum of Ice Cream

Posted on by Markman

Not generally a place we would normally check out, but we do like to shake things up and try something different now and again. This place surely was that. This was the kind of place you visit just once.

Currently Reading: The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty. I happened to see the author of this book doing a talk on C-Span after just flipping around the dial in a moment of boredom and it sounded interesting. I mean we all know the story but this traces the history back to the great-grandfather and all the previous fathers leading up to Alex. Come to find out, they’ve been pretty corrupt all along! When I saw how big it was I started to get a little daunted but the style is perfect and it’s easy to read. I recommend it, especially just to see how corrupt this family was from the start,

Mr. History Post #9: Mourning Victory

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Concord, Mass. In 1897, the Boston businessman James C. Melvin had commissioned a funerary monument from Daniel Chester French to honor his three brothers who had died in the Civil War. French was a famous sculpture who has stuff all over, including Lincoln sitting in his chair in the Lincoln Memorial and the Minuteman Statue in Concord among others. The massive figure of Mourning Victory emerges from the block of stone projecting two moods: melancholy, in her downcast eyes and somber expression, and triumph, in the American flag and laurel she holds high. French captured the sense of calm after the storm of battle, which must have referred to the pride, after the sorrow of grieving, felt by the surviving brother. It’s a pretty impressive tribute.

Since I was here I also checked out Author’s Ridge which has a bunch of famous authors buried there. The list of names of famous authors who died while living in Concord is impressive. There are Thoreau and Emerson, but also Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and her family, and William Ellery Channing, all interred near one another.

Mr. History Post # 8: Black Dahlia and Jingle Bells

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he Medford Edition! I’m checking out a few origin stories today. First up, the birthplace of the Black Dahlia. It’s still an unknown grizzly murder mystery that baffles people to this day. Sadly, her childhood home was razed to make way for the Interstate 93 Rotary that abuts this spot. Poor Liz. Also, since it was so close, I also checked out where the Xmas tune Jingle Bells was supposedly written. The old pub is now an eyeglasses store. I’m trying to imagine two horse open sleighs skidding down Medford Center. 🤷

The Goatfather Makes an Offer We Can’t Refuse

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It’s springtime, baby goat season – these little guys were born shortly ago, in fact while we were there a mother goat was giving birth to 4 babies (!) which I hear is unusual to have that many at once, it’s usually 2, or 3 at the most. Glad the rain stopped for us yesterday afternoon! Mt shirt says :The Goatfather” in the logo manner of the Godfather. It was a birthday gift from some pals of ours, I just finally got a chance to wear it out. It’s also a nice feeling to have a baby goat just fall asleep in your arms, so trusting, and they are so warm. The one I had even started dreaming at one point I believe!

Mr. History Post #7: The Viaduct!

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Canton may be best known at the moment for Karen Read, but this awesome structure precedes her by 190 years! The Canton Viaduct, a stone arch bridge that spans the Neponset River, was constructed in 1835 as part of the rail line connecting Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, and it remains in use in the 21st century!

Ended up watching some really old 48 Hours rerun and they had this story on about an event that happened in Falmouth down on the Cape back in 1979. I found it so interesting I had to download the book about the events so, Currently Reading: The Year We Disappeared.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

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People say that with age and experience comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes enlightenment. Well, I don’t know how much of it is the truth, but I have grown up and grown with you to realize what love means and what it really means to love someone. Love goes beyond time, age, or even the person, and I have experienced love in its purest form; I feel nothing but gratefulness today. All these years strong with you and more to go, I stand here a happy man thanks to you, and I love you with all my heart.

Our relationship might not be perfect, and certainly has its ups and downs, but our love for each other is still strong and is wonderful all the same, and that’s all anyone could ever ask or hope for. I am truly blessed to have found you. I just want you to know, that when I picture myself happy, it is with you.

In a world where so many things can be uncertain, you are the one thing that I will always be sure of.

Better than I was, more than I am.

I’m so glad to be able to spend this day with you and all the days with you. The good things in life are better with you. Seriously, you’re amazing! This lowly kid from Somerville hit it big when he met this Jersey Girl!

Happy Anniversary, Ladydoc!!

Mr. History Post #6: The Echoing Bridge!

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Mr. History post #6: The bridge that echoes! A National Historic Landmark, this handsome stone bridge, built in 1876 by the Boston Water Works, contains the Sudbury Aqueduct, with a pedestrian walk on top. Visitors standing under the arch can make echoes and view the deep river gorge, waterfall, and steep hemlock-covered banks. Spectacular views atop the bridge! Crazy to think this is basically next to Route 9!

Mr. History Post #5: Harvard Square Edition!

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Up first, the Harvard Lampoon Building. Sometimes referred to as the “Lampoon Castle,” it was built in 1909 by Edmund M. Wheelwright, who took inspiration from the local architecture of Jamestown, Virginia. From the front it bears an obvious resemblance to a human head wearing a Prussian helmet. At the top of the building is a four-foot copper ibis, the mascot of the Lampoon. This ibis has been stolen and returned several times since 1909. Same famous peeps who worked here are Conan O’Brian and Colin Jost.

Since I was in the area I also swung by the puppeteer tiny bronze. The bronze statue is a replica of the “DooDoo” puppet used by street performer Igor Fokin. Igor Fokin was a puppeteer from St. Petersburg, who delighted passersby on the streets of Cambridge with his hand-carved marionettes that frolicked and danced to traditional Russian music. Fokin passed away of heart failure in September 1996, and the sculpture and accompanying plaque were commissioned to pay tribute to Igor and all street performers.

Finally passed by the old theatre. I haven’t been to the square in years, it’s looks almost the same, but a lot if it is very different.

Feeling Springtime!

Posted on by Markman

We noticed a bunny checking out and hopping into one of the pots last night out on the back deck. You know what that might mean! Lots of baby bunnies have been born in that pot. I wonder if it’s generational – like, was this bunny actually born in that same pot, and is returning to continue the trend? Or is it just some other rabbit looking to use the pot? Does anyone know?

Currently Watching: Started watching Good American Family on Hulu – based off the Natalia Grace story (what a doozy that was), It’s … a little weird.