Category: Lighthouses

Do We have a Collecting Obsession?

Posted on by Markman
Might be time for another trip up to Maine soon! Nubble L:ight, York, ME

We’ve sort of decided that we might want to visit Maine in a moth or two and not do the usual Prelude thing that we’ve been doing for the last couple of years. Not that we don’t love it, but it’s just so busy around that event. Might be a little quieter earlier in the season.

Got a few more leads on some Dedham Pottery items. Once again, we’re always on the lookout for something different, and generally involving a bunny or two. The key is to get a somewhat unique bunny themed item that you don’t usually see and at a very good price. I saw someone selling these cute pins for cheap and it happened to be close by in Roslindale so this morning we went and picked them up. Plus I was jonesing for a Dunks so we stopped off at a drive thru to fuel my caffeine addiction. Later on in the afternoon LD saw a display plate she wanted in Ashland so I hopped on over out that way to get that. Not too much going on out that way.so it was a quiet ride up and back for about an hour or so. Always on the lookout! It was originally just because the colors of the objects matched the new kitchen colors so well plus it has the bunny theme but now it’s taken on a life of it own.

Last night we watched the Suns of the WNBA take game 1 of the semis against Minnesota. Very good close game. It would be amazing if they could pull off a championship. I think my fav player on the team (besides the daughter of LD’s trainer) would have to be Mabrey. Not only does she nail the long bombs and is super scrappy but she’s from NJ!

Seeing the Light at the End of the Trail

Posted on by Markman
Sankaty Light, Nantucket Island

Here’s another shot I took of Sankaty Light on the island of Nantucket earlier this year when we were invited to stay for a bit by some wonderful kind and caring friends. I remember this day quite clearly, partly because it wasn’t that long ago, but also because I wanted to walk along the cliff trail which basically ends at this location. So I got to walk the entirety of the trail and finished up by hanging out at the lighthouse trying to figure out what would make a nice picture. I think I did pretty good with this one – I am satisfied with it!

That circular object in front of the light is where the lighthouse previously stood. It had to moved a bit a while ago due to erosion of the cliff side. Some of the other structures that were there originally are gone, although you can still see the foundations of one of them.

Oh, if you were still wondering what the pickup was yesterday from the marketplace, I will now divulge the deets. It was a turntable like device that we placed under the dollhouse so that it can be spun from front to back quite easily. It was great that it fit the job perfectly and fit just right and that the guy wasn’t too far from the office. We also did some minor repair work on the windowpanes.

Happy National Lighthouse Day and Pizza Cupcakes to Boot!

Posted on by Markman
Pemaquid Point

I’ve always loved lighthouses, just everything about them, their location, their various looks, their history, the people who lived in the them and tended the light, their bravery. I just think it’s pretty cool. I’m sure many people feel the same way. I’m very lucky to live in new England where there are so many. Boston was home to the very first lighthouse in America after all (and it’s still there!)

I really lucked out with this shot – just as a storm was getting ready to roll in. That’s exactly what a lighthouse was built for! (also mad props have to go to LD for taking the shot and getting me there! I love you so much!)

Got to try something of a novelty today! Finally went down to try this place called Boston Pizza Cupcakes.

I ended up trying the ones with Buffalo Chicken topping and double pepperoni! We also considered getting as s’mores topped one but maybe for another day. Definitely a novelty item but fun, in a way.

The Good, the Happy and the Sad

Posted on by Markman

The Good:

The Nubble

The Happy:

Alright, tonight I’m going to attempt to make some linguine with zoodles that I’ll create myself and throw it together with some shrimp. The recipe called for scallops, but we don’t have any, hence the substitution.

Anyone want to guess how this is going to turn out?

I took another picture of the fire lilies out front surrounded by the hydrangeas. What do you think of this version? I played around with the tone I bit more in this one.

and the Sad:

I learned last week that a work colleague of mine passed away. It’s so weird when you hear things like that. That makes three now of people I used to work with for years (well over a decade, almost two), now just gone. We all started at ADL together and worked on projects for a decade until we got bought out by another company and we spent a good decade and a half there – before they laid us off. I lasted at the company a few years longer than he did. The business was changing and we were all aging out I suppose. Apparently it happened over a month ago, but I just found out about this a few days ago. The leukemia finally caught up to him. He beat it once. I wonder if he got it to his being exposed to toxic chemicals during his deployment to Iraq in Gulf War? We’ll never know for sure.

Two of the three—including the one who just passed—and I used to play Quake ][ deathmatches on the company network after hours. It was just the three of us. We logged many hours together playing that game. Sometimes I think back to those times and reminisce. I thought we would get together and play again someday for old times sake, however remote it seemed, but that’s never going to happen now.

Rest in peace, “Helmet.”

Felt Some Love at Sankaty Light

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Here’s a shot I took of the Sankaty Head Lighthouse while I was in Nantucket. I had never been to this lighthouse before so it was a treat to finally go visit it! Thanks to our hosts once again for the opportunity!

I grilled up some marinated chicken we had in the freezer downstairs and we then brought it over to LD’s old landlady and hung out there with her a bit and had a nice lunch. Now we need to meal plan for the upcoming week, this time we’re going to get the ingredients ourselves and put together some meals using recipes from a book for a change. So is the plan.

Currently Watching: Six Schizophrenic Brothers (2024). I had actually read the book about a few years ago and found it to be quite the story. We plowed through the four episodes last night.

End of Year Trip and Jackie The Duck!

Posted on by Markman

We decided to take a little small trip this week and get by the water. LD found this cute little place by the sea so we went! The pic above is the view from out back – the property is right on the water! Gorgeous! The weather was downcast for much of the trip so no sun, but at least there really wasn’t any rain to stop us and it was rather mild the whole time we were there. I didn’t even need to wear my jacket at all, although LD did feel cold at times. Maybe I just got used to the elements being outside a lot nowadays. It’s no too far from Paine’s Creek which is an area that I love so we checked that out, along with some other nearby sights and some good eats along the way.

The highlight, however, was meeting Jackie the Duck, who also lives there! Jackie the Duck’s story is actually extremely fascinating. He was essentially saved by the owner lady as he emerged from his egg. His mother had either killed or abandoned the chicks for whatever reason, and this little boy would very certainly have died if she hadn’t taken him in and saved him. Anyway, the act of doing so imprinted her on him, and he became a member of the family as a result. He is a pet, but he is so much more! Let’s see if I can recall any of the stories the lady told us about him.

He bathes in the house, but he must wait for his feathers to dry before proceeding with his day. He follows her around the house and rides in the car with her. He’s riding shotgun in a straw-filled tub. He wears a diaper in the house since ducks can’t manage their functions, and there’s reportedly a lady in Maine who makes these duck-specific diapers, so maybe this is a thing? When they’re playing in the ocean out back in the summer, she’ll toss him in and he’ll ultimately return back to her on the shore. In fact, when he’s finished swimming, he waddles right out of the beach and into the home. When he falls asleep, his bill is a little heavy, so you can see him drop his head every now and then; we witnessed this in person today! He really was a sweetheart, he even poses for you so you can take his picture. What a character! He has no interest in hanging with other ducks, and why would he, he’s living the life a of a king, even by human standards! I hope we’ll get to hang out with him again sometime (the lady liked us and said next time we’re in the area to give her a buzz!)

Quick Update for the Masses

Posted on by Markman

Just a quick update. Had the old landlords over for a BBQ on Sunday – it was actually pretty nice. Even helped make some chili for later as well. Yesterday I spent a bunch of time over at Earth-1 getting the chainsaw fixed, getting some Portuguese soup from this local place that’s part convenient store that makes it really good and authentic – a hidden gem only us locals know about, paying some bills, and getting my Mom’s cats to the vet for their nail cutting. Today after handing out my usual complement of tickets to scofflaws, I took the AC out of the window. Starting the get chilly these days!

Enjoy this pic of two of the Three Sisters Light Houses down in Eastham. Nauset Light replaced these gals years ago.

Two Days of Whacking

Posted on by Markman
Thatcher Island Lighthouse rises up from the fog of the morning. Rockport, MA

Haven’t been able to update over the last day or so because I took it upon myself to get rid of some giant rose shrub like monstrosities that had taken over over the years and needed to go. So I hacked away at it when I could and then most of the time was cutting it all up into smaller pieces and getting them into lawn bags. It probably would have went a whole lot faster if these things didn’t have these nasty little thorns all over them. Well, into day two of the project I finally finished. I think that was quite an accomplishment for myself. Oh, there were like 4 bird nests in there as well. Thankfully they were all empty.

Unfortunely it appears my Fitbit Versa 2 has finally died for good. I know it’s just the battery but they don’t support replacing them plus it doesn’t seem worth the hassle. So no0w I have a conundrum. Do I get another Versa 2 (mine did last almost 4 years) and keep my stats and all from all that time OR do I go and get a Galaxy Watch which would integrate with my Samsung cell and such so much better. I think I’m leaning toward the Galaxy but I hate to lose that 8 million plus step count. For the record I burned 3,600 calories and over 412 active minutes yesterday hacking down the shrubs! Maybe that’s what put the Fitbit finally over the edge!

Home for Some Quick Updates

Posted on by Markman

Just a little quick update in some photos to explain the week.

First up is this picture I took of the Nauset Light. Now since it’s September, it’s the time of the year that my Duxbury photo is featured in their official calendar . Green Harbor is closing for the season on Monday so we had to get in one last lobster roll for the summer. These two hawks better leave our bunnies alone!

Planning on doing a firepit tonight so there could be an update to this post afterwards and there’s something big happening tomorrow.

Gametime: One Many Nobody – cool puzzle game where you need to clone yourself to escape the levels.

My photo is featured this month
End of summer lobster roll
Hawk babies!
You can click these for a larger look.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Posted on by Markman

Today’s my birthday! First thing I got out of the way was my morning shift. I ended up being a rainy morning so I got a little drenched but it’s all part of the job. I also played a lottery ticket while I was doing my route. Nicely, the sun came out in the afternoon so the whole day wasn’t a washout.

This evening, LD took me out for a nice dinner over at Seasons 52, as part of their Dine Out Boston week, Yum!

Currently Reading: Little, Crazy Children: A True Crime Tragedy of Lost Innocence

A Busy but Relaxing Weekend

Posted on by Markman
Gateway to Nauset

Been kind of a busy and yet relaxing weekend. We had some folks over on Saturday and I got to ride in their new electric luxury BMW. That thing was pretty crazy with the way the instrument panel is and all the geeky electronic stuff. Sunday was a day of relaxing, grilling and using the firepit to read by.

Enjoy another pic of Nauset Light! It’s National Lighthouse Day afterall!

Paying It Forward

Posted on by Markman
Good memories and to making a lot more

I went off to the local food pantry and dropped off a bunch of items this morning. While there I also happened to pick up a lily plant to replace the one that I supposedly killed over the winter this year, although on my defense I did keep it alive for a couple of years longer than otherwise and I did try to revive it. Anyways I thought it a nice gesture to replace it for LD and also as a coming home gift that she can replant on Sunday if she so wishes. I’ll try to take better care of this one!

I do enjoy all the memories we create together. We’ve seen a lot and hope to see much more and continue to enrich eachother!

The power went out here for a couple of hours in the late afternoon which was super annoying btw.

Musings on the Last Thursday of April

Posted on by Markman

Did you miss me? It’s been a little while since my last update, but nothing to worry about—there hasn’t been anything noteworthy that happened in the interim. Here is a throwback Thursday photo of me, on my birthday, visiting what is perhaps my all-time favorite lighthouse (although Minots Ledge Light is a close second). Pemaquid Point in Bristol Maine, not too far from Booth Bay. What’s really cool about this light is the surrounding topography, huge rocky ledges all around that you can explore but need to be super careful. On this particular day the clouds were rolling in which is what I think makes the photo even better.

Meanwhile back on the home front, the wild bunnies are starting to appear in the backyard now, running, playing, and yes, even eating, as bunnies do. They are super cute though. There appears to be three that seem to visit rather often. I wonder if any of them were the ones that were born here?

Additionally, every time I start to feel like my thumb is getting better from not using it, I unintentionally extend it again, which hurts, and feel like I have to restart the resting process. You know what I mean? It’s so annoying!

Currently Reading: All right! Another one of the books I had reserved on Libby finally came through. My next read is called The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture. In it the author “eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really “normal” when it comes to health?” I felt the premise was interesting so I figured I’ll give it a shot. Sort of builds a little bit on that Body Keeps the Score stuff but also with a physical as well as psychological bent.

The Elusive Sunday Search for a Sofa Bed

Posted on by Markman
I’ll never get tired of visiting or viewing the Nubble.
Tall, steady beacon 

Guiding ships through stormy seas

Lighthouse, steadfast friend

How did you like my little lighthouse haiku there? Not too shabby. Also this pic I took of the Nubble was from a little while back, but I still love the way it came out.

Today I started out with a trip to Wegman’s to pick up some groceries. Then later on in our travels taking care of some errands and getting out of the house to enjoy the sunny spring weather, we noticed the local school baseball team was doing a car wash so we had the ball players wash the car. The cost was whatever you wanted to donate, so that was cool. The car really needed it!

Most of the afternoon was spent taking a trip over to Jordan’s Furniture to look for a sofa bed and maybe get some other ideas for the office. Really want to find a sofa bed which they didn’t seem to have although there were some cute little loveseats, which may be a possibility. One thing we noticed while there is that apparently there’s now a Montilio’s Bakery and Pizzeria inside! We were a little thrilled to see that because we loved the food from the Quincy location. We were on the verge of buying some food there, but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth the wait, so we left and returned home after donating some books to some small local libraries that we had been hoarding for months. a phase of the recent spring cleaning binge.

Instead for lunch we ended up having some shrimp cocktail that we had gotten the other day so we wolfed that down instead, and afterwards I made some Tofu for LD for eating later in the week for lunches.

I guess we maybe thought we would do more today, but we ended up using the rest of the day to relax. It is Sunday after all! For dinner I did bake a three cheese butternut squash lasagna which I think I’m rather proud of!

A Saturday in the Life

Posted on by Markman
Have a seat at the Nubble
  1. First thing this am, went to grab a pickup order over at the local Stop & Shop.
  2. Picked up a hope chest someone was giving away on FB so we went to their apartment and grabbed it. Will probably be used for LD’s future office.
  3. Cleaned out a closet that’s been on the to-do list for a long time
  4. Also got an awesome coffee table for the office off of FB marketplace in Canton this afternoon
  5. Went jewelry shopping today and got the process started for a special creation.
  6. Corned Beef dinner at the old landlords.
  7. Trader Joe’s visit to get a bunny pot but they didn’t have it, maybe try a different location next.
  8. My shoulder is still bothering me, like, wtf? Feels really bad like something is out of whack. Sharp pain at times, wtf??

Confessions of Love from My Younger Self

Posted on by Markman 
I confess I love the clouds in the summer blanketed against an ocean of light blue sky.
I confess I love the ocean and the soft cool sea breezes and the things that live beneath it.
I confess I love the snow softly falling on Christmas Eve masking everything in white.
I confess I love the moonlight lighting up the summer night.
I confess I like the look of innocence in a baby's eyes.
But the only thing I'll ever miss
 is you.

I wrote those words something like over twenty years ago. They were about no-one in particular, just a moment of creativity. Maybe they’re more applicable today than ever. I still like them.

Although I’m not really sure what I did, I seem to have tweaked my back just between the shoulder blades. It’s not too awful, but it bothers me enough to make me aware that it’s there. Joys of joys.

Had some things to get down over in Wellesley this afternoon and after we got that done, LD treated me to some Captain Marden’s for lunch and herself, and she also got an orange tea and some cookies from Tatte. Isn’t she the best?

On some even better news, got some excursions coming up that I’m getting all hyped up about. A visit to the Catskills, a tea party ritual, baby goat cuddles at sunset, a summer trip to the Cape, and more! I’m very excited to see and do these adventures! I’m hoping to take some good pictures on these outings as well, perhaps on par with the one I’ve included in this post from a visit to the Nubble a while back.

Playing with Black and White

Posted on by Markman
Playing with Black and white photography

I was a little out of action this last weekend as I seemed to have some stomach problem that pretty much kept me laying low on Sunday but I feel much better today. Strange gastro things happening I guess. I was able to get some things down today including getting some mail out, reapplying for my parking permit, things like that.

Currently Reading: Empire of Pain, The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. You know, the folks behind Oxycontin. When I saw it was available for borrowing on my Libby app I jumped on it. I didn’t realize it was over 1,000 pages though!

Standing Tall

Posted on by Markman

I recently discussed applying for something that will fill my days with a little bit more activity, and I can now report that I got chosen for it. I will learn more about it at the end of next week when I meet with the big Kahunas, to put it simply. It’s too soon to say whether or not it will work, but I have to give it a shot. A little butterflies, but I’m confident I can adapt and it could also result in better things in the future. We shall see.

Welcome to Another December

Posted on by Markman
“Beware the savage rocks,” is a quote from English navigator Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, etched into an informational plaque here.

Got a new desk and roof rake from our friends yesterday who are moving to another town soon and didn’t need or want to move those items so we took them. I think the roof rake might come in quite handy come the serious winter. I went to go pick them yesterday just before the weather really started turning bad but luckily everything came out just fine. Route 93 is terrible anytime but especially in a serious rain and nearing rush hour to boot.

Today’s picture post is a shot I took of the Nubble Light very early one morning. I thought the waves crashing up on the rocks made a pretty dramatic shot, although I’m not totally satisfied with this one but perhaps I’m being a bit harsh on myself. Also the sky had a pinkish hue to it.

A Serious Blast From the Past

Posted on by Markman

I happened to be able to spend the afternoon over at Earth-1 today. While I was there I was tasked by my mom if I wouldn’t mind bringing in the trash barrels after the truck comes by to empty them, which of course I said no problem. As I got out there and was getting ready to bring the receptacles back in to their storage spot, there was a woman at the front door I guess trying to ring the bell? I asked if I could help her and she asked if I lived in this house. At first I figured it might one of those political things. I replied that I had lived in the house and then she wanted to know if my mom still lived her and if she was alive? (She mentioned my mom by her maiden name). Kind of a weird question to ask, right? She then introduced herself as Irene. Apparently she used to live next door, back when there was a house there. We’re talking quite a while ago, they sold that house back in the early 80s. Anyways, I was able to get my mom out there and she knew her from way back and I do remember playing with her son back when I was like 5 years old through the gate in the back yard. Long story short it sounds like the developer who build the condo that’s there now (for like 30 years prior it was part of a laundromat that bought the property in the said 80s) wants to rent the land that it’s on because apparently this lady’s family still owns the land? They would prefer to just be paid outright. Something in all this seems a little whack to me though. I highly doubt the laundry was paying these people rent to use the land all those years. She mentioned something about a cloud being on the deed, which they cannot find. Sounds kind of weird, but anyway, we got to see a neighbor we haven’t seen in close to 50 years! My mon and Irene exchanged contacts and just might stay in touch moving forward.

I actually don’t remember Irene, but I do remember her son, as I mentioned. I seem to also remember that he had an older sister named Maria if my memory serves, But like I said, I was like 5 years old and they ended up moving pretty soon after. After they sold, the laundry rented the house out for a while. I do remember a band that used to practice there because I can still hear this song they used to practice all the time with the words “Katrina! Katrina!” but sung out like “KatreeeeeeeNA! Ka-treeeeeee-NA!” I found it quite annoying. Anyways after about a year of that the laundry ended up knocking the house down. I remember I wanted to stay home from school that day and watch it (they did have a wrecking ball!) but I had no such luck and was sent to school. When I came home it was already down. The laundry ended up building an extension on the land there where their trucks could unload the linens from the various hospitals that it supported. I know this because I worked there for a time, it was one of my first jobs.

Eventually the laundry merged with some other company and moved their HQ to somewhere outside Union Square and this property slowly became abandoned, They must have sold the building to a developer that knocked down the extension and build the aforementioned 4unit condo there that apparently tis woman still owns the land to. I’ll be interested to see if this story goes anywhere.

I think I need to get my hands on these lighthouse bottles. I don’t care about the booze, I just want the containers! Actually I could live without the current three but if they decide to put one out of Nubble or Pemaquid then I’m definitely going to have to take a trip to Maine to get them.

One last note, I’ve been playing around with some fonts on the site. I still haven’t settled on a favorite yet so the letters may look different here and there over time. I’m never satisfied!

Getting In on the Dynamic Island Craze

Posted on by Markman
Nubble from Afar (a Thursday Throwback!)

Yes, I have an flagship Samsung Android phone but I wanted to see what the buzz is all about with this new iPhone 14 feature called Dynamic Island. Just my luck someone has recreated it for Android and you can get it from the Google Play store here if you want to try it out. I do kind of like it, but I know its just some gimmick. I’ll keep it for a while and see how it goes.

Gametime: Currently trying to get through Dying Dreams.

Two of the Three Sisters

Posted on by Markman

Drove to drop off 2 blank CDs in Walpole to someone online who asked for them in a social media group that we belong to. Got a bunch of free stuff off of there that was useful so just sort of giving back. I’m looking for some stuff for the game room that I’m hoping will show up on there at some point.

Made an appointment to take my mom to get her drivers license renewed at the end of the month at the local AAA office, forget going to the RMV! It took a while to get one, you basically have to keep clicking online every 10 minutes or so and hope you bump someone else out of the way. In hindsight now I’m realizing it may be a little tough to be able to make it there on time but I’m going to try.

We got these special lily bulbs from LD’s garden lady friend yesterday. I’ve been soaking them overnight to be able to put them in the ground today. For some reason the lady said they should go in as soon as possible. Just need to find a spot where they’ll actually fit. We have too many things growing! I eventually decided to put split them up a bit, putting some in the main round area and then the rest out toward the back corner of the back yard. Fingers crossed they come up next year!

Here’s a pic I took of two of the three sisters lighthouses in Orleans. These gals were replaced by the Nauset Light that’s there now but they saved these ladies and set them further inland and used to adorn a park now. Thanks to Lighthouses around the World for featuring me!