September 2007 New England Trip with Jasper and Emily Rose
Heath met me at the NW Arkansas Regional Airport with the kids raring to go ... the first leg of journey was our flight into Albany, NY to collect rental car (a Jeep Liberty, quite satisfactory) and get to my sister's in time for supper. Ruth and Milt not only put us up for a few days, but toured us about some of the time, loaned us maps so we could do other things on our own, and even treated us to dinner out at Milt's favorite hot dog venue. In addition to Hancock Shaker Village, we went to the Berkshire Museum, the Norman Rockwell Museum (the kids loved that), a cemetery to see graves of notables, Bartlett's Apple Shed, etc.
Then our trip took us over to my childhood stomping grounds in Pioneer Valley, then on to Concord, Quincy/Boston, Plymouth, Sterling/Leominster, Old Sturbridge Village, and back to Ruth's for another night before we flew back to Fayetteville and I delivered kids (relatively unbloodied and untraumatized ... heh heh) back to their folks in Eureka Springs.
The board game "Life" proved a big hit, although Jasper was dismayed when he went bankrupt buying yachts.
An unexpected treat at Hancock Shaker Village was walking into a rehearsal for a music program. The members of group were quick to welcome us, explain the music, and demonstrate the accompanying steps while they sang.
Then it was off to explore the renowned Round Barn, followed by explorations of other buildings and some participation in the activities offered.
The kids both dug in at meals at Ruth and Milt's -- especially when she produced pies and such!
Butterfly conservatory, Deerfield, Mass.
Off to Concord to the battlefield of "the shot heard round the world."
From battles to literature ...
The tour guide at the Alcott house was terrific ... we came away having learned much that we'd not known before.
For the Boston portion of the adventure, we based ourselves at a motel in Quincy on the site of John Adams home on the Neponsett River, which we first reached by driving the wrong way down one-way street due to a roadworks crew having set up impassable, non-negotiable blockages. Four or five police arrived at the motel just when we did; there was a moment as we all piled into the lobby that I wondered if we were about to be arrested! Turned out that the manager had phoned the cops about the snafu and was in a definite snit as guest after guest complained.
We then used the hop-on-hop-off Beantown Trolley and the MTA trains to get in and out of the city. Much more economical; I had nothing in online searching by way of suitable AND affordable motels actually in Boston.
Our days in and about the city were plagued by rain and wind some of the time, but we forged ahead to enjoy the Aquarium, the USS Constitution, the Harvard and MIT campuses, Bunker Hill, the freedom trail, the 54th Regiment monument (the Civil War regiment on which the film "Glory" based), a harbor cruise, the last day of season's schedule of swan boats at Boston Commons, McCloskey's ducklings, graveyards (originator of Mother Goose supposedly, Paul Revere, etc.) ... and, of course, a variety of stops for food units. The one disappointment was not being able to find the statue of an ancestor--Anne Hutchison--despite diligent searching.
After a final sunset on the Neponsett River, we headed next day to Plymouth to the replica Mayflower and to see Plymouth Rock -- all with such a place in the family history. It was revealing to discuss with the kids how we'd each have coped with an 8- to 12-week voyage in that itty-bitty ship ... especially as we contemplated that an hour stuck in traffic in the car seemed overly tedious and burdensome. We also visited the Plimouth Plantation ... which was somewhat interesting, but which I felt did not live up to the quality of Hancock Village and Old Deerfield ... nor to the standard of Sturbridge experienced a few days later. The visitors center did boast some interesting artisans. The high tourist season having passed meant some good discounted souvenir shopping in the town of Plymouth. The weather had cleared some and so kids finally got a chance to use a motel pool ... shivery but fun.
Jasper and Rosie had to actually TOUCH the Atlantic Ocean ...
Next day was a visit to the Allen longtime family farm, where a good deal of my mother's childhood was spent. In fact, Grandma Hilda was baptised in the pond behind the farmhouse. Cousins Eric and Anne still occupy the farm and have sawmill, goats, and cheese making operations there.
We also visited Uncle Charlie and cousins John and Nancy while in Tuttle Road area.
And away we trooped to Sturbridge Village, chock-a-block with historical exhibits and enactments, as well as activities and games.
