Heritage Gardens and Museums in the Spring

This week is Maura’s spring break from school and we’re taking advantage of it, especially since the weather has so far been very pleasant. Yesterday we drove from Weymouth the Williamsburg, Virginia, but we’ve seen little except the very charming bed and breakfast where we are staying so I’ll save that trip for next week. Monday we did some more local travel so that Maura wouldn’t miss her skating lesson. We drove down to Sandwich on Cape Cod to show Jennifer, and my parents who are visiting from Indiana, the Heritage Gardens and Museums.

We had a very nice day, though it was hot for April. I never saw a weather report for Cape Cod but in Weymouth the temperature was reported to have hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit, though I was never uncomfortable. It was dry and there was a nice breeze. We left early and stopped for breakfast at Persy’s Place, in Kingston. They claim to have the largest breakfast menu in New England and I find no reason to doubt them. We don’t go there often because Kingston is a bit far to go for breakfast but I like the place a lot. It is the only restaurant I know of anywhere near where we live that has hash browns, which are my favorite breakfast potatoes.

After breakfast we drove on down to Sandwich. The gardens were beautiful though not yet in their full glory. There were many blooming daffodils and a few of the hundreds of rhododendrons had started to bloom. Some day we will have to visit in May, when they are in full flower. The crowds were not as oppressive as they had been when Maura were there before, on Free Museum Friday, and we walked the labyrinth almost undisturbed. Maura and I rode the carousel while my parents and Jennifer watched from a bench. I felt like a little kid and a proud dad all at once.

At the antique automobile museum we had a chance to enjoy the air conditioning while we had a leisurely look at the collection. Maura and I sat in the model T Ford that is the only one of the cars in the museum that you are allowed to touch. I imagined what a ride must have been like back then. The seats were remarkably comfortable but the car wasn’t moving so there was no way to know how good the springs were.

After the visit to the gardens we drove to the Thornton Burgess Society’s Greenbriar Preserve not far away. We went to visit the jam kitchen. The kitchen was a popular stop on the Cape before World War Two and hasn't changed much since then. We bought two jars as souvenirs and to enjoy later. I let Maura pick out a jar of orange cranberry rhubarb relish. Jennifer and I agreed on a jar of rhubarb ginger preserves.

Afterwards we rode home in comfort for a short rest before skating and a fine dinner at Stockholders, a Weymouth restaurant we had long been wanting to try. We were not disappointed and everyone agreed that the food and the service were excellent.

A Weekend of Fun

The holiday weekend was a busy one for the Ellett family. We visited museums and enjoyed celebrating the Fourth of July holiday with friends and family.

For Maura and me the weekend started on Friday. We went to the Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Admission was free for the day as the institution was participating in Free Fun Fridays presented by the Highland Street Foundation. Each Friday in July and August different Massachusetts museums and cultural institutions will be offering free admission. Find out more about the program and check out the calendar for the rest of the summer at www.highlandstreet.org.

Maura and I left early for our trip to Sandwich. We arrived at around 10:00 when the property opened for the day and spent about four hours exploring the gardens and poking through the museums. We both enjoyed the day. The gardens were beautiful and peaceful despite the crowds. The labyrinth and the maze garden were favorite spots for Maura and me. I’d like to return to the gardens in the spring when the rhododendrons are blooming. The Heritage Gardens bost one of the largest collections of rhododendrons in the United States. The Hidden Hollow children’s discovery garden was an interesting concept that would be fun for younger kids. It integrated musical instruments and water features with many opportunities to learn about nature. It was very crowded and I thought Maura was a bit old for it. The art museum was another favorite spot, especially the carousel exhibit, which includes a working carousel as well as fine examples of carved carousel horses and menagerie figures. The car museum didn’t particularly thrill Maura but other children might love the old cars.

On Saturday we made another museum trip, this time with the whole family. We went to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the Chihuly exhibition and explore some of the new Arts of the Americas wing. Everyone enjoyed the glass artistry of the Chihuly installations. The brilliant colors and the shear imagination of the forms kept everyone entertained. Maura was a little bored in the new wing, which she had seen before but I had not. We did all enjoy the “Behind the Scenes” interactive exhibits that explored collecting and conservation for the museum.

Sunday evening we went to the Town of Weymouth’s Fourth of July celebration at Lane beach. We had planned to picnic but waited to go until after dinner to go because the weather was threatening thunder storms. The storms never materialized and the weather improved as the evening progressed. We were joined by Maura’s maternal grandfather and his long-time girlfriend. We enjoyed the family time, and Maura enjoyed playing with some of her friends that we met at the beach. The New Band played live for entertainment before the fireworks started and the fireworks were worth waiting for. I’ve seen better, but not this year.

We spent the Fourth of July relaxing. We attended a barbecue at our friends' the Longs and had a very pleasant afternoon of food and conversation. It was a great way to finish what had been an enjoyable but busy long weekend.