Garden Snakes puzzle game. Good little brain teaser.
Guide numbered snakes across the garden, fill every open tile, and finish each route with exactly zero moves remaining.
The rules are easy to learn, but finding the perfect path will test your logic, planning, and spatial reasoning. Can you fit every snake into place without blocking the others?
Ponyhenge. Been on my bucket list for a while. Another oddity this time in Lincoln, Ma. Last couple of days we’ve been busy swimming down at Duxbury beach a couple of times and grabbed our yearly Green Harbor lobster roll, the best around for sure. Anyways, I had some time this afternoon so I took a drive out there this afternoon to see the ponies in person.
Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.
Not everyday you come across a Buddhist Temple of Meditation travelling through Raynham! While looking around at some furniture stores I happened to see if any other attractions were around and this Temple of Meditation was listed, so naturally I was curious to check it out.
Started out the morning by doing two(!) water aerobics classes and then went into town to catch the elephants migration. We had seen them before in Newport RI but now they are doing a stint in Boston so we had to go see because they are so cool.
We were able to meet up with our pal Em who lives in the area so that was cool. Afterwards we all had lunch at a place on Newbury called Piattini which was amazing. Would definitely go back there. I ended up having a drink that had Luksusova Vodka, pamplemousse, lemon, blackberry in it and it was amazing. No dount helped bring about my tiredness after all the day’s activity.
All in all this was a very wonderful day.
This is one of my favorite photos (plus yesterday was National Lighthouse Day!)
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. 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, Patty. Thank you for showing me the beautiful sunsets.
Description: Golden marsh grasses line the shore, introducing warm, organic textures that frame the bottom edge. Resting near the water’s edge is a small vessel anchored in the shallow flats—a subtle nod to maritime life and quiet moments on the water. A lone figure stands near the shoreline, appearing small against the vast expanse of sea and sky. This solitary element adds a poignant human touch, inviting the viewer to pause and contemplate the immense, peaceful surrounding space.
Together, the composition perfectly echoes the post’s message: “The time to love is always and the place to live is now.” It captures a fleeting, still moment in time, reminding us of the quiet beauty that exists when we slow down to take in our surroundings.
Had a quick jaunt to Spring Lake on Sunday. You could say that was the highlight of the weekend trip. Beautiful weather to be down the shore, as they say.
Today back in Boston, had some medical appointments down by Patriot Place so I did the tourist thing there for a bit.
Somehow managed to get everything we wanted to do fit into this little Cape getaway, from hanging at the beach, to taking a hike, to eating at our favorite places, to getting a tire replaced (long story), to catching sunsets, to doing crafts like the shells we designed at drew on ourselves as shown above, to checking out some sand sculptures, etc etc etc.
Got back at then it was off to LD’s charity event (pics to follow!). So proud of her, it was a great turnout and she raised lots of money for cancer research! Then after we had a little get together back at the house and one of LD’s trainer peeps (a fellow Jersey girl I might add!) hung out for a bit so we did s’mores and chatted for a few hours. This woman is hardcore! Total knee replacement and she was telling us of that experience. She’s very athletic, plays hockey and things like that. Holy cow though! That’s a serious operation and recoup time.
Sunsets, sand castles, good eats, swims, and a little scare but everything turned out good. More to come…!
Had a successful BBQ here at home last night with some invited old colleagues of LDs! I grilled and I always get a little nervous that I’ll mess something up but everything came out great! Salmon and burgers and we skewered some veggies on spits to grill which also came out just right. And of course as evening rolled around, had to light the firepit and do the s’mores thing. We hadn’t seen these folks in a quite a while so it was really good to catch up!
It was a fun time!
I’m into different kinds of plants these days!
It’s day two of the visit! This time off to Plymouth. Wanted to be somewhere near the coast but not anything too far or crazy. Seemed like a good choice, and it was! My personal highlight of the outing was seeing these cool metal sculptures of animals that we randomly happened upon, didn’t even know they were there! And of course I had to check out the Monument of the Forefathers, which I had sort of heard of before but never checked out until this day. The thing is massive! 81 foot tall and said to be the largest solid granite statue in the world! It’s very interesting.
Yes, that is an opsrey nest on the head of the statue.
We had a nice lunch over at East Bay Grill. I tried another cocktail, a Huckleberry Lemonade concoction made up of vodka, lemonade blueberry puree infused syrup, and blueberries which was very good. I’m not even a drinker and I’ve had two cocktails in two days already.
We finished up the day with a little bit of the firepit on the patio back home, and then some pizza and a movie, Sheep Detectives, very cute starring Huigh Jackman.
One of LD’s old friends from out of state has come over to visit for a few days so we’re doing a little bit of the tourist thing. A trip to Boston was on tap this day. We took a ride on the swan boats, and walked a little bit around the publlic garden. Had a quick bite at a place called Bistro du Midi right on Boyleston, I passed by that place a million times but had never been before. Good flatbreads and the Lavender cocktail I had was very refreshing. Later in the afternoon we took a duck boat ride. I hadn’t been on one in years, that was fun. Good thing we went when we did, I saw one tipped over the next day and that never happens. We originally wanted to go to the Bristol Lounge at the Four Season but the French Soccer Team rented out the entire hotel, so no admittance for anybody. That must be a pretty big bill!
A trip into the city over the weekend. Pardon me as I write this off the cuff so it may not flow just right but I wanted to put down the memories. Drove down Saturday early to NJ to celebrate a high school graduation and some other things with family, LD swam at the Y to get some more yardage in toward her goal for charity to the American Cancer Socity. (you can donate here if you like). We ate at a place nearby that we really like called the Thirsty Turtle. I might have mentioned that place before. Later in the afternoon we went to the dog park where I found Charlie a huge stick which he very much enjoyed. I bought a 5 dollar scratch ticket and won 20 so that was a bonus. I only bought it because I saw all the dogs on it. I don’y know, maybe I am becoming more a dog person.
Next day it was off the Big Apple, Times Square to see Mariska Hargitay on Broadway doing this amazing play. We weren’t sure how we would get into the city, should we train, bus, etc, mostly because of the World Cup but the schedule matched up that we decided driving was the way to go. Plus I noticed on Google Maps that there was a parking garage directly across the street from the theatre, Sadly when we got to the garage it was the wrong one! LD had booked a different garage but luckily it was only about a half a block away so it was ok.
The play was pretty great and she was totally amazing in it. What a powerhouse! It’s immersive theatre so the audience partipates which is pretty cool. I have no idea how she can remember all the lines and the numbers and … anyways it was amazing. The theatre was pretty cool too, one of the oldest on Broadway but done over really nicely. Best theatre seats we ever sat in, roomy and plush. After the show we hung out at the stage door so maybe she would sign some things but after 20 minutes or so we bailed. Wasn’t that a big a deal to us. People resell the stuff on eBay if you really want one, which is ridiculous. We walked around Times Square a bit, acting a little touristy. Nothing like the smell of the big vity in summertime, right! We didn’t realize it was over 10 years since we were last here, probably when we saw Al Pacino on Broadway.
We thought about maybe staying away an extra night in Mystic Connecticut but then decided to just go home, so we did and got back by 9:30 pm.
You can click each picture below for a small caption.
![](https://hatchetation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/729089124_10239602953107329_5723052174335803282_n.jpg "Working the Merch Table for "Olivia Benson"")
Attended the rescheduled Revere beach Kite Festival yesterday. There didn’t seem to be as many kites as when we went a couple years before but it was a pretty warm day to be at the beach! You should be able to click each pic for a larger version. That big black thing on the beach looked something like a hot air ballon but as far as I couold tell it never got off the ground unfortunately. That would have been cool to see in the sky.
Took an afternoon ride out to Lincoln, Rhode Island hyesterday to pick up a raised planter LD found over on the marketplace so she can plant some more things. After getting the pickup we drove over to a nearby state park in the area. Pretty scenic location actually with what looks to be a very nice bike path that parallels the Blackstone River. Then we jaunted over to a nearby restauarant for lunch. Also checked out what apparently used to be a former monastary in the area. You click the pics below if you want more caption details.
Currently Watching: An oldie but a goodie! Homicide: Life on the Streets Seasons 1 and 2
Oh! I almost forgot another thing that happened yesterday1 LD finally sold her old car, to the next door neighbor no less!
What a nice surprise to greet me as I headed out the door this morning! Wasn’t there yesterday and then today, instant beauty! I had to stop for a moment and take it in.
Currently Watching: Hulk Hogan doc on Netflix. I thought this was pretty good!
Started the day by pickinng up some “walking onions” plant that a woman was giving away in the town next door. I had never heard of these things before. A quick Google search lead me to the following description: “Instead of flowers, this plant produces topsets, a cluster of bulbils, at the top of the stalk where the flowers and seeds would normally be. The stalks eventually flop over from the weight of the bulbils (if not harvested) and replant themselves, thus beginning their “walk” across the ground.” Pretty cool! But the real treat of the day would come in the afternoon, as a trip down to the southern part of the state had finally arrived! Yes, it’s happened again for me, Capy Time!
Anytime you get to hang out with capybaras is a really good day. As a bonus we also got to hang with some baby goats and snuggle them. It was a great day, weather wise and animal encounter wise for sure. Amazing access to these amazing anaimals. So grateful for the oppurtunity. One capy even decided to climb on top of me, which I was not expecting at all, but I’ll take it! Afterwards we got an early seafood dinner at a place called Turks down the street. What a picture perfect day! Smiles all around!
This building draws much attention on the street, with its facade which has been made to be reminiscent of an Incan ruin, with a large stone face above the doorway and colorful bull on the door. The museum is not open to the public, but the artists offer tours by appointment and open their doors for various concerts and the annual Somerville Open Studios. Those lucky few granted access to the space are treated to a one-of-a-kind experience.
Using a style the artists call “Mystical Realism,” the walls and ceilings are covered with fresco-like paintings and mythological themes, creating a stained glass effect. The focal point, the building’s great hall, is filled with fresco-like paintings of Russian mythological and religious icons. Saturated oil colors were used for the tiger and bull totems, birds, druids, and mermaids.
It’s a pretty wild place to visit. Every wall of every room is covered in images like this. Some areas naturally were off limits to the general public but I can imagine them all being so ornately decorated. Once again, you can only visit it during the Open Studios weekend or sometimes they have yoga classes and performances and such in the main room. Pretty cool.
Watched a documentary about the Beanie babies fad from the 90s. Sort of fascinating that this little group of stuffed animals made some folks go wild and had to collect them. I find it so interesting that the secondary market of these things far outpaced the primary market. I think I fell asleep toward the end when the investor bubble burst but I got the gist. It’s a fun watch just to see how the 90s were with the start of the Internet and all.
The story behind the photo: This is a actually just a bench in a grassy area behind the town hall. I got down low and pointed my camera upwards a bit. That’s all!
Gametime: Skillteam. This puzzle game is kind of hard!
My mom went ahead and donated her car. She decided a couple of weeks ago that she really didn’t need to drive anymore, plus she can get rides if she ever needs to go anywhere. It will be cheaper too. I am a bit surprised that she gave it up but I suppose there comes a time for everything. Noe we just need to geet LD’s old car out of here! Maybe she’ll end up doing the same thing, using the same charity.
I went ahead and mowed the front lawn late this afternoon. First time pulling the mower out of the shed!
We saw the movie Michael yesterday afternoon with some friends. I have to say that I actually enjoyed the movie. I had read mixed reviews and yes it is Michael positive naturally but I thought it was really well done. No doubt, the music and talent was incredible. We saw it at the AMC in Burlington which was a theatre I had actually never been to. It was pretty nice, way better than the Danvers one, which was the last time we went to a theatre, probably more than a year ago.
I went ahead and finally dismantled an old wooden filing cabinet that we’d been meaning to get rid of for a while. I disassembled it by removing all the screws and then hammering out the parts that were connected by wooden dowels. Progress on the spring cleanups!
