Red Monkey Visits Acadia National Park

Last Sunday Maura, Jennifer and I set out on a short family adventure in the form of a camping trip to Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island, Maine. We left home before dawn, the car having been loaded with our gear the night before and we had the roads almost too ourselves as we made the trip to Acadia in very good time, arriving  before noon even though we took a slightly longer and slower route than we had originally planned and made a detour to purchase blueberries and maple syrup for the next day’s breakfast along the way.


On reaching the park we stopped at the Visitor’s Center to pick up a pass for the park loop road, necessary for camping, and a junior ranger activity book for Maura. From the Visitor’s Center we headed to the Blackwoods Campground where we would be staying until we had to head for home on Tuesday morning. We took a little time getting there, stopping at the base of the Precipice Trail in hopes of spotting the resident peregrine falcons (invisible in the clouds) and taking in Thunder Hole (not thundering but still scenic).

When we reached Blackwoods we checked in and set up camp. When the necessary chores had been done and we had eaten our lunch we took a short hike down to the top of the cliffs by the shore, and then along the road until we got to Little Hunter’s Beach, where we could climb down to the water. There we heard the sounds of the beach stones grinding together in the surf and searched tide pools to find crabs and periwinkles but no sea stars. Red Monkey, who was with us at Gettysburg in the spring, was with us again and we got his picture next to the small stream that flowed into the sea across the beach. While we were at Little Hunter’s Beach we were sprinkled with the only rain to fall on us while we were in Acadia.

Looking at tidepools

Back at camp we rested for awhile and then made our supper of split pea soup with bacon. Pea soup is a family favorite and it cooked as well on a camp stove as it would at home. After supper we walked to the campground’s amphitheater for the Sounds of Acadia, put on by Ranger Todd, with musical selections by his twin brother, or perhaps alter ego, Toad. We learned how to listen to the sounds of the natural world and heard the sounds of some common birds, frogs and mammals provided by Ranger Todd, with audience participation. For variety Toad (or was it Todd without his ranger hat) led the audience in singing "Rockin’ Robin" and his own song, "Happy Earth Day". The program was fun and informative and I wish we could have attended others but the trip was too short. After the show we returned to camp and had desert, Jennifer’s creation, a stew of peaches and blueberries with dumplings of pancake batter. It was delicious and we all enjoyed it thoroughly. When the dishes were done we went to bed. It had been a long day and we wanted to be well rested for what we had planned for Monday.

What we had planned was a hike up Cadillac Mountain by the South Ridge trail, which begins at Blackwoods Campground. Our intention was to hike up and take the bus back. After our breakfast of blueberry pancakes we set out on foot from camp. We enjoyed the hike up the 4½ mile trail through forests and up the barren mountain ridges to the summit. The trail was challenging without being overly difficult and once we were above the tree line the views were spectacular. We had perfect weather with bright sun and a cooling breeze. When we reached the summit we had climbed from nearly sea level to 1530 feet, the highest point on the island and on the coast.

Maura and Jennifer at the top

At the summit we enjoyed our lunch and the spectacular view in all directions. We got more pictures to document Red Monkey at the top. When we had had enough of the summit we started looking for the bus stop. It took us a few minutes to realize there isn’t one. There is a road to the summit and many people drive up Cadillac Mountain but the bus doesn’t go there. We’d made the mistake of assuming that it did and hadn’t looked at the bus schedule. Since we had no choice we walked down. We chose the North Ridge Trail. It is shorter than the South Ridge Trail we had come up and it ends at a bus stop. It was a good thing that it did because by the time we reached the bottom we were all exhausted. Despite the longer than planned hike we had all enjoyed it, even the hike down.

Red Monkey on the trail

After the bus ride home and a short rest we headed out again, this time by car to Seawall on the other side of the island to explore more tide pools in hopes of seeing the elusive sea star. We saw a great many mussels and legions of periwinkles but no sea stars which will have to wait for a future trip.

After our return to camp it was time to make a fire and dinner. We dined on macaroni and cheese (with hot dogs and summer squash added for some extra nutrition) and then enjoyed our fire. For desert we roasted marshmallows and made s’mores, without which no camping trip would be complete for Maura.

In the morning we broke camp and headed home. I had to work in the evening and there was a long way to go. The weekend was far too short but despite the busy pace it was fun and relaxing.

Purgatory Chasm and the Blackstone Canal

It’s been a rough summer with little to write about but last Friday it was time for Maura and I to have a father and daughter outing. When our original plan to visit the Boston Harbor Islands proved impractical so we settled on a trip to Purgatory Chasm in Sutton, Massachusetts with a possible side trip to the Blackstone Canal. When our morning chores were done we loaded our lunch and hiking gear in the car and hit the road. An hour and half later, after winding our way through the Massachusetts countryside and getting slightly lost (a necessary part of all of our long trips together) we arrived at last at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation. After a brief stop to eat our lunch of salami and cheese sandwiches we made our way to the Chasm itself and began our first hike of the day.

Purgatory Chasm is a fascinating geological curiosity and also a fun scramble around, over, through and sometimes under rocks. Carved by glaciers in the last ice age the chasm resembles a seventy feet deep gorge without a stream at the bottom. Much of it is choked with boulders fallen from the granite walls making it a rugged and challenging hike. The boulder piles create talus caves and narrow crevices that can be explored by the adventurous and young and the tumbled landscape is weird but beautiful though it is marred by trash and graffiti left by thoughtless visitors. Maura and I walked down the trail to the base of the chasm and then returned by a route that took us along the rim before cutting back into the chasm on the way to the top. Maura explored caves and both of us ventured though a crevice where I tried to show Maura how to chimney climb. She wasn’t willing to try it so I had to help her out of the crack but it was still fun for both of us.

Back at the top of Purgatory Chasm we took a short rest in the shade. We purchased treats at the ice cream truck that was parked there—an ice cream sandwich for me and an enormous ice pop for Maura. Both were thoroughly enjoyed. From there we headed to our next destination, the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge, on our way home. We stopped at the visitor center at River Bend Farm for awhile. While we were there I took in the historical information about the region, the canal and the industrial revolution in the Blackstone Valley. Maura was a bit tired and not much interested in history for the moment, though she often is. After the museum we took a short hike on the tow path, between the old canal and the Blackstone River itself. The walk was pleasant and mostly flat and Maura’s interest in history revived in the outside setting when we stopped to read the descriptions of what we saw in the interpretive guide I'd picked up on the way to the trail.

When our walk was over we headed home. Before we started driving the only unfortunate event of the day occurred. I tried to call Jennifer and found my phone dead. I’d considered stopping for dinner on the way but unable to contact Jennifer I decided we should head straight home. We took a slightly longer route to avoid traffic at rush hour and arrived home at 6:30. Jennifer had not eaten dinner either so we all went out for a meal together to close out the day.

Camping Near Gettysburg, or the Adventures of Red Monkey

Last week was April vacation for Maura so we took a family trip. We chose Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as our destination. I had always wanted to go there and see the place where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. It also had the advantage of being close enough to drive to for a long weekend but far enough south that it was likely to be warmer than here in Massachusetts. We knew we wanted to camp, because we all enjoy it, but local campgrounds aren’t open yet in April, with good reason.

We left before dawn Thursday morning and made good time. Our route took us through six states. We were in our third state before we stopped for breakfast and in Pennsylvania already by the time we stopped for lunch. We reached Caledonia State Park, on the western slope of South Mountain, in plenty of time to make camp and dinner before nightfall. We set up our new tent and constructed a shelter over the picnic table with a tarp and some rope tied to trees, with a few spare tent poles to keep the tarp above our heads as we cooked and ate our meals. Desert we made over the campfire. No camping trip is complete without roasted marshmallows when camping with a seven-year-old.

On Friday we drove over the mountain to Gettysburg. We followed the auto tour of the battlefield. For me the highlight of the tour was when we stood on the top of Little Round Top, where the Union forces had arrived in the nick of time to keep the Confederates from taking the high ground that dominated the Union lines, thereby perhaps winning the battle on its second day if they had succeeded. Then we went to the High Water Mark of the Rebellion, where Pickett’s charge briefly broke the Union line, only to be driven back by a counterattack, turning the battle into a Union victory. In my mind’s eye I could see the progress of the battle and almost smell the powder smoke and the blood. I have a better appreciation now of the incredible courage and fortitude shown by both sides.

Along the way during our tour we stopped to take pictures, featuring Red Monkey, won in a carnival game the day before we left on our adventure. We have pictures of him at the Peace Memorial, on Little Round Top, at the High Water Mark, and at the top of more than one observation tower. There is even a shot of him in the barrel of a cannon.

While I could have explored every corner of the battlefield and stayed there for our entire trip, Maura and Jennifer were both a little tired of military history by mid-afternoon and we decided to spend some time in town. We wandered around the streets of Gettysburg for a while reading historical plaques and doing some shopping. Before we headed back to camp we visited the David Wills House, a museum in the home of the man responsible for creating the Gettysburg National Cemetery, at the dedication of which Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. President Lincoln stayed there the night before he gave his famous speech and we had the opportunity to learn more about the cemetery and the Address on our visit to the museum.

On Saturday we took the morning off from history to enjoy nature for a while. We hiked on the Charcoal Hearth Trail, and a few bits of other trails to connect it to our camp. The trail climbed Graeffenburg Hill through mixed forest of hardwoods and pines resplendent with the greenery and flowers of high spring. Despite the few rain drops that fell on us before we made it back to camp it was a wonderful hike. The trail was steep, rugged and long enough to be a challenge, but not too much of one. We felt like we had accomplished something when we arrived back at camp but we still had enough energy to enjoy the rest of our day.

After a rest in camp, a shower, and change of clothes we headed back to Gettysburg for a few hours before dinner, which we planned to eat in a restaurant in town. On the way from camp we visited Mr. Ed’s Elephant Museum, billed as the largest elephant museum in the world. The museum houses Mr. Ed’s personal collection of elephants—carved elephants, plushy elephants, elephants in photographs and elephants on circus posters. The museum is free, and a lot of fun; and it is attached to a candy shop that sells wonderful homemade fudge.

Arriving in Gettysburg a few hours before dinner time we took in a bit more of the town before we ate. One place we went was the Shriver House Museum, a house restored as much as possible to its appearance in 1863, when the battle was fought. On our tour of the house, led by a guide in period costume, we learned about the experience of the people who lived there and of their neighbors during and after the battle. Though only one civilian died during the battle it produced much danger and hardship for the people of the town. Maura particularly enjoyed the Shriver House because the family had included two little girls, about her age at the time of the battle, and their story was part of the story told on the tour.

Though we couldn’t get a table at either of the restaurants we had planned to eat at we had a nice dinner in the Springhouse Tavern in the basement of the Dobbin House tavern. The food was good, as was the atmosphere with colonial décor reflecting the construction of the building in 1776. The spring gives the room its name bubbled in one corner. The tavern also had the advantage of being less expensive than the main dining room, probably a good thing for us.

After dinner we headed back to camp and went to bed. We were tired and planned to hit the road early in the morning. During the night heavy rain fell but fortunately our tent was up to its job of keeping us dry. We hit the road early as planned, stopping for a delicious diner breakfast on our long trip back to Massachusetts.

Disaster, Adventure and Fear of the Dark

Last week was a tough week at our house. The nor’easter that dropped eight or more inches of rain on us flooded our basement. The knee-high water wrecked our water heater and shorted-out all of the electrical parts of the furnace. We had to have the gas and the electricity shut off to the house for safety. For a few days we had no lights, no heat, no hot water and no way to cook inside. We were greatly inconvenienced but we did our best to keep up our normal live. Maura still went to school, skating lessons and Girl Scouts. Jennifer and I still went to work.

As inconvenient as it was being without gas and electricity the experience was not all negative, especially for Maura. We were camping in our own house. While it was chilly at night, and in the early morning, the rain was followed by several days of mild sunny weather and it was never so cold that piled blankets could not keep away the chill. We ate out a few times partly because we were pressed for time. The whole family enjoys eating out, though Jennifer and I worried about the money we were spending. When time allowed I set up the camp stove and cooked outside, which Maura loved. It really made the experience seem like a camping trip and has Maura fired up for our planned expedition in April.

Having no power had an additional benefit I would not have expected. We had been leaving the hall light on when Maura went to bed because she was afraid of the dark. We couldn’t do that when there was no power so she had no choice but to go to sleep without it. When the lights were back on she asked her mother to leave the hall light off. Sometimes all it takes to get over the fear of the dark is to spend a little time in darkness.

Everything is back to normal in our house now. The water is out of the basement, the power and gas are on, and we have a working furnace and water heater. I’ll worry every time it rains for awhile and we’ll probably be installing a pump the summer, though it won't see much use. We’ve lived in our house for more than ten years and despite the fact that our foundation has cracks we can see through and our basement has a dirt floor and no drain we’ve never had serious flooding before, even when we had almost as much rain. The flood of 2010 will be one for our personal record books, one we hope will not be repeated in our lifetimes.

A Day Out in Boston

Last week was Maura’s February vacation from school. She had the whole week off with little to do but watch TV and play with her friend Dominic who lives across the street. For the most part that was enough for her. Though she generally enjoys school she also enjoys her time off from it. By Friday, however, we were both ready to do something different and with cash in hand from our weekly trip to the ATM we headed to Quincy Adams Station and from there to Boston by T-train.

Other than to spend it in the city we had no very definite plans for the day and that worked out just fine. I knew I wanted to keep the cost down if I could but we started with a bit of shopping. We got off T at Arlington Station and strolled through the Back Bay. The weather was very fine for February, breezy but not cold. We walked down Newbury Street and back through the Prudential Center and Copley Place, stopping for lunch on the way. While we ate we sat in the window and watched people on the street. In the Prudential Center Maura bought a pretty rhinestone barrette from a very helpful sales clerk. It helped to tame her unbrushed hair blown wild by the wind as we crossed through the plaza at the Christian Science Center.

After shopping we went back outside at Copley Square and it was time for culture. We visited the Boston Public Library, taking in the current exhibitions which were interesting and free. Maura wasn’t as excited as I was by the Edgar Allen Poe exhibit discussing the troubled relationship he had with his birthplace but the exhibition of street photographs by Jules Aarons. Mostly taken in the North End and West End of Boston during the 1950s and 1960s they fascinated both of us.

From the library we headed up Boylston Street to the Public Garden. Walking through the Garden we stopped to take in the "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture and then walked across the Common to the Massachusetts Statehouse, where we joined a free tour to learn more about the history of the building and of the Commonwealth. We joined the tour late so I never caught our tour guide’s name but he was very knowledgeable and friendly and the tour was excellent. We saw the chambers for the state House of Representatives and Senate and the public rooms of the Statehouse where Massachusetts receives visitors and honors heroes. Maura had been to the Statehouse before but it was the first time she had taken the tour and she enjoyed it as much as I did, asking questions and looking at everything there was to see.

We’d already had a full day but it wasn’t over. After the Statehouse we made our way to the building where Jennifer works and met her for dinner and an evening trip to the Science Museum. Dinner was at one of my old favorites, Durgin Park. The food is traditional New England cooking, the service is always friendly and the atmosphere hasn’t changed much since the 19th century when the place served the workers in the city’s main market. Jennifer and I had corned beef and Maura had fish. No one was disappointed.

At the Science Museum we went to the new Identity exhibition. It explores the different aspects of human identity—physical, mental and social. Most of the displays are interactive, allowing the visitors to explore their own identities as well as the question of identity in the abstract. Some of the exhibits were also research studies themselves. I was glad to participate in them while Maura played a game that explored how identity changes when we interact with others.

After an hour or so at the museum we were all worn out. I’d been on my feet too long and had done in my knees so it was painful to walk down stairs and Maura was showing the signs of being tired. We were all happy to be heading home thoroughly satisfied by our day out.

Sick

Our house was a sick house last week. First Maura and then Jennifer came down with a stomach ailment. Nausea and vomiting were followed by fever and exhaustion. Fortunately it was a fast disease and once the vomiting stopped a good night’s sleep was all that was needed for a complete recovery. When Jennifer was ill there was little I could do but let her sleep and encourage her to take some fluids. Maura had already been sick and I was reasonably sure that Jennifer had the same disease and would recover quickly. It was different when Maura was sick.

No conscientious parent can ever be entirely at ease when their child is ill and as much as I often try to be a hand-off parent, I think I am a conscientious parent. Maura’s illness struck in the middle of the night and I had difficulty sleeping afterwards. Partly it was just that my sleep was disturbed. In my role as cleaner-of-disgusting-messes I had been called to clean up vomit and after the activity I found it difficult to go back to sleep. Worry over Maura’s illness certainly contributed to the restless night. I could not be sure she was not suffering from food poisoning or something else serious.

In the morning a call to the pediatrician allayed my fears. There was a virus going around that caused vomiting and fever but it usually only lasted for twelve to twenty-four hours. Maura was a good patient during the day she was sick. She couldn’t eat anything but she held fluids down and happily drank what I gave her whenever she was awake. She spent the day on the couch in the living room and napped for most of it. By evening she was starting to feel better but she was still running a fever.

The fever meant that Maura was home a second day. Because of the flu the school has a rule that any child who has had a fever of one hundred degrees or more in the last twenty-four hours should stay home from school. It’s a good rule and I’m sure it keeps some parents from sending children to school who shouldn’t be there but sometimes it means the kids are home when they are no longer sick. Maura was one of those children. Since I didn’t think I should have her out during school hours we were trapped at home all day and a well-rested healthy Maura who is trapped at home is bored. A bored Maura is far more trouble than a sick Maura.

Cornell Glee Club at Old South Church

Last Friday we had a family celebration of my wife Jennifer’s fortieth birthday. We had dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant in Boston’s China Town and then attended a concert by the Cornell University Glee Club at Old South Church. Jennifer and I are both alumnae of Cornell and Jennifer is a big fan of a capella music so when I received a notice in my email from the alumnae association about the upcoming concert I asked her if she would like to go. The ticket prices were affordable, the concert was close to her actual birthday and on a night I would have off.

The concert was not quite what I had expected though I was in no way disappointed. I had expected to hear jazz and popular pieces, along with the Cornell songs Jennifer and I remembered from our time on campus. The Cornell songs were covered but most of the repertoire was a mix of sacred music and secular classical pieces ranging in style from Latin hymns to choral settings of Negro spirituals. Everything was beautifully sung and performed in a gorgeous space. The concert closed with the familiar sounds of the “Evening Song” and “Alma Mater” well known to every student and graduate. The “Evening Song”, its tune otherwise known as “O Tannenbaum”, brings back fond memories of my time as a student when the sound of it echoing from the bell tower carillon marked the end of every day.

Everyone enjoyed the concert. Maura, like her mother, is a fan of choral music. The varied style of the pieces kept Maura’s attention and she was very well behaved. I would not have expected otherwise. It is a pleasure introducing Maura to the arts because she takes an interest in what we expose her to. Whether it is classical music or modern art she approaches everything with curiosity and an open mind. She sets a good example of for the rest of us. While Maura doesn’t enjoy everything new she hears or sees she does not prejudge. She lets her new experiences determine her attitude, not her expectations.