Author: Markman

Today’s Message

Posted on by Markman
Brewster, MA

“Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light. “

The story behind the photo: It’s shots like this one that make me think that maybe I could be a good photographer. This one is from last summer vacationing on the Cape. We basically would scope different locations every day for possible good sunset shots. I was somewhat protected this time from all the biting bugs having learned my lesson from the year before, but they were still pretty brutal swarming all over my face. I think it had rained earlier in the day and it was just wrapping up which is why there’s clouds in this photo. I think this photo could represent what’s going on in our lives at the moment, in a way, with a symbol of hope at the end of it all – just trying to be positive in a sea of sh*t.

Finding Gratitude

Posted on by Markman
Looking out the window sipping coffee in Rockport out towards rocky shoreline.
Looking out the window sipping coffee in Rockport

Gratitude. Today I’m going to spend a few moments thinking about all the times and things I’ve had and have, the big and the small, and how thankful I am for them and sitting with those feelings they evoke and how they make me feel.

The story behind the photo: This was actually taken a couple of years ago on a overnight stay getaway. I particularly wanted to stay at this location for the window and it’s proximity to the rocky shoreline. We got to sipping tea and coffee while just looking out at the beautiful scenery. It’s one of my special memories.

Going out for a drive, and this evening going to try out some live online stream yoga thing with a practitioner that we know. Will update with findings from both! The drive was to Marshfield where we did a quick walk along the shore and the yoga thing did work but was weird.

Get Through

Posted on by Markman
Springtime

Another somewhat uneventful day. Did go for a nice little walk around the neighborhood. Spent some time trying to get some things in order around the house. Did take up some of my old birding hobby today – managed to watch a little woodpecker begin to dig out a hole up in a tree in the backyard.

Did start watching a ridiculous show on Crime Investigation channel called Monstresses – basically women killers that are a bit on the deranged side you might say and I’ll just leave it at that and an exercise to the readers to find out more about it on their own should they so wish. I feel it’s shot weird too – like parts of it remind me of a comic book layout. (Actually looking it up I learned there’s only one season consisting of only three episodes).

Gaslight Alley

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Gas lamp lit alleyway somewhere in Beacon Hill

My hands are so freakin dry from all the hand washing. Get that paraffin on me! I went out this afternoon once I felt it had warmed up enough and bagged some more leaves, this time mostly from the ivy bed area we’ve been watching grow for a couple years now. It took a while but the ivy is really starting to cover the area, there seemed to somewhat of a huge growth spurt in them last summer.

Made some zucchini and tomato flatbreads tonight, with a nice lemon ricotta and drizzled with a slight tinge of honey.

Hunker Down Time

Posted on by Markman
Green Harbor, Marshfield, MA

Went for a drive today by the ocean in Marshfield to get some fresh air, clear our heads, and walk along the beaches. Can’t be holed up in the house all the time, and it’s the perfect place to get some air and not too many people around.

Beware the Ides of March!

Social Distancing

Posted on by Markman
The new normal?

Kinda mad at my sister for staying out all night last night with some dude but I can’t control what she does. I find it pretty irresponsible, especially since she does have underlying conditions that would negatively impact her in a huge way should things not go well, as well as possibly making it worse for others. Some people just don’t seem understand it all yet. And I get it, because I was one of those earlier but my views have been changing a bit over the last few days. Be safe everyone.

Remembering the Need

Posted on by Markman
Meditating in this point in time for a bit…

Kids are out of school now. So now a thing is that some of them might have trouble getting food and meals that they rely on. I grew up on Welfare since my mom was a single mom so I can kind of relate, although we always had food in house, no doubt thanks to my grandparents. I remember actually going down and waiting with my mom while she got the block of cheese (the government cheese! yes, that really was a thing, don’t believe they do that anymore – they give you money to buy your own now). We were never destitute thank God, but hearing the latest stories did make me remember those long ago times. We might not have had much, but it was enough, and appreciative of what we had and have.

Anxiety Station

Posted on by Markman
Enter the Portal…

Crazy times we are currently living in these days, with the virus and all. Social distancing is the term of the day. Sporting events are all being either put off or cancelled all together. College kids are out of their dorms and can’t come back (mostly). Just taking it day by day and seeing what develops and go from there.

I did have a good performance review though so there’s that.

Creek Square

Posted on by Markman
Creek Square

Creek Square got its name from Mill Creek, which was dug between the Town Cove and the Mill Pond, beginning in 1643. As you face east, the creek would have been in front of you, running along where Blackstone Street is now located.  The land directly in front of you (Creek Square) would have been marsh land. 

That began to change in 1652, when Joshua Scottow bought this land from William Franklin. By 1654, Scottow had excavated the marsh land to create Scottow’s Dock. “Dock” here is used in the 17th-century sense, meaning a navigable harbor. The dock connected to Mill Creek and from there to the Town Cove. This dock became an important area for maritime commerce, with wharves and warehouses built along it in the late century. By the early 18th century, however, it had been filled in, as the city’s shoreline steadily migrated east.

Here more than anywhere else in Boston, you can peer north up the narrow cobblestone streets and imagine what the original colonial city, with its narrow alley and winding, irregular street patterns looked and felt like.

Source: atlasobscura

I’m really liking the tunes on Ice-T’s band Body Count’s new album. Good stuff. Check it out on YouTube – album is called Carnivore. Rap and Metal. Fits my mood these days it seems. I really like the remake of Colors.

Crouching Lion

Posted on by Markman
Most people are rowing against the current of life. Instead of turning the boat around, all they need to do is let go of the oars.

Woke up early, went to the Depot for some leaf bags and we ended up bagging 7 bags of leaves from around the patio and the back yard garden areas – I want to get ready for planting soon. There was even some green popping up through the dead leaves already – it’s awesome. The ivy over in the back has really taken well, I’m hoping this summer it will spread throughout the whole area for coverage. Spent the afternoon sitting outside in the sun enjoying the rays and tranquility. Then we cooked in preparation for the week ahead while watching the classic movie Office Space.

Possibly more updates later today…

Hull

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View toward Boston Lighthouse on a blustery day

Took an afternoon trip to Hull, to be by the water, get out of the house, and find some peace by bonding with nature. The sea was pretty choppy due to the storm offshore, making some rather impressive big waves. I got to say I actually enjoyed getting out there for a bit, been a while since I had done something like that. Think I got some cool shots that I’ll try to share over time.

Ended up not going out to dinner tonight after all, decided to eat in and “play it safe.” Besides we had a Hello Fresh meal to create and finish. I’m not really worried about the virus as of yet, but it doesn’t help that 11 town officials (now 30 folks total) in town might have been exposed and have placed themselves in self-quarantine.

Missing Simpler Times

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Take me back to happier times…

Been feeling a bit bummed out lately – actually, it’s been going on for a while. Good days, bad days – just trying my best to get through. Tired of being anxious all the time, trapped in a world of my own making.

I did take LD out to Sky Bar last night for her birthday so that was good, and we’re going to some place called Abby Park tomorrow as part of restaurant week. I went to Target today to get some supplies she wanted in all the hoopla about the COVID-19 baloney, but they didn’t have everything on my list so I got what I could. Today I just feel like laying low, making dinner, watching television, and awaiting the fates that the future may hold.

Plum Island Overnight

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The view outside our patio abutting the beaches of Plum Island.

Spent part of the weekend on the coast of Plum Island up in Newburyport. A quaint little coastal New England town. While there we visited some sights, including a Richdale’s which literally sells 25 cent hot dogs, which we did not partake in because it sounds gross. I’m not sure how they can even do that and make a profit. Also grabbed some hot chocolates at a place inside The Tannery where their main thing is making Whoopie Pies.

The best part was the evening where after dinner (at a place called Seaglass over in Salisbury – the next town over and where I had this amazing dish of Lobster Scampi) where we just chilled and had the fireplace going. Although after a while it got too hot and we had to open the door to the beach to cool off the room. Felt good to just decompress from everything while listening to the waves of the ocean crash against the shore throughout the night.

Today we took of bunch of shots around as well as in Gloucester on the way back (stopped there for lunch, and yes I did lobster again this time with a lobster BLT). I’ll probably post some other shots from the trip as the week goes on.

Currently Reading: Your Song Changed My Life and Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World (both little library picks we found while exploring Newburyport!)

Trinity Views and TV too

Posted on by Markman
Trinity Courtyards

Here’s a shot of a courtyard which serves as a part of Trinity Church in Boston that I shot last month or so. I was trying for different angles.

Here’s an update on some television shows I’ve been watching lately:

  • A Million Little Things (although the drama on this show is so over the top it’s ridiculous) on ABC
  • Forensic Files II on HLN (and of course the originals still as well even though I’ve seen them a million times)
  • Ice Cold Blood (a show hosted by Ice-T that’s like those ID shows) on OWN
  • The Big Interview with Dan Rather (he interviews musicians and we get to learn their stories – just watched the one on Frankie Valli) on AxsTV
  • Batwoman/Supergirl (yeah yeah, I know) on CW
  • Law and Order SVU (because it’s what you do) on NBC
  • Autopsy (little morbid but I like the backstories they do one the subjects) on Reelz. Actually watch a bunch of stuff on Reelz just to unwind.
  • Dateline/20-20/48 Hours et al.

Also on YouTube – Lost Weekend, a documentary from filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb: In 1984, two friends from small-town Pennsylvania won an MTV contest and the chance to party with Van Halen for 48 hours. See what happened!

Mr. Joy is coming

Posted on by Markman
North End, Boston, MA

I acquired some theater tickets to see the live show Mr. Joy playing in town in a couple weeks with LD. The show is hitting a bunch of neighborhoods in the coming weeks and since it was free, I’ve decided to go check it out and see what the buzz is. Actually, she’s the one who told me about it. I’ll share my thoughts after I’ve seen this one-person play.

Basketball Diaries

Posted on by Markman
Since 1811.

Watching the 4th grade girl’s basketball game yesterday afternoon was kinda fun. The Celtics they aren’t – far as I could tell they don’t really play positions and they never really seem to look at the basket before shooting. Also the rules seemed a little different. I’m kidding of course, naturally it’s not the pros, but there were some kids there that were really good. It also helps that the team of the child we came to watch won! (Just really needs to practice on her dribbling – too many travelling calls). Oh yeah, that’s the other thing – this one referee was calling EVERYTHING. He could have let some of them go – I was amazed he even called a 3-second violation! Do they really have that rule at this level?

Hadn’t been to high school gym in decades – forgot about those bleachers. But overall, it was fun!

Museum Beach

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Canoes along Museum Beach, Scituate, MA

Scituate Light is in the center background of this shot. I was experimenting a little bit with this. Not totally happy with how it came out but I guess it’s not too shabby. Anyway, the location is called Museum Beach, it’s not all that large and right off the main road with no parking but it does provide a nice look at the lighthouse and residential properties across the bay. You can read how the place got it’s name here if interested. (I always like to find out why things are named the way they are or how certain things came to be known).

It was nice to look outside and see that some green leaves are starting to come up through the ground of last year’s dead detritus. Things like daffodils and crocus leaves are starting their climb – a harbinger of the thoughts of spring to come not too far away now. Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to stay hopeful but it’s tough. Yep, still bumming out a bit and that’s why I’ve been radio silent lately – just didn’t have the interest to update anything about my mopey self. Well, it is what is and what will be, will be. I’ve never really been in the position that I’m in these days – I’m just not all that happy these days at work, but feel trapped and have to try to remain in it for the good of it all. I wish I could just be happy and worry free again. I know the good Lord will see me through someway, but I hate feeling the way I do and having to try to do the things I have to. Not good for my mental health for sure.

Going to see a friend’s child perform at a sporting event later this afternoon – should be fun. Honestly, I’ve never been to any kids sporting event viewings before – never had the need or interest. Something different anyway. I’ll update later on what it was all about.