Nearby: Castle Hill

This past Sunday I had the lovely pleasure to drive with a friend north to Ispwich to attend a 1920s themed party at Castle Hill on Crane Estate. When I visited Crane Beach several months ago, when warm weather was just beginning to arrive for the year, I saw the great mansion from a distance and hoped to return in the summer to witness its architectural splendor. This weekend I had that opportunity, made even more profound by a party which celebrated the traditions and style of its glory years. The gorgeous, rolling lawn was filled with picnickers dressed as flappers and their accompanying gentlemen, sipping sweet white wine as they listened to the band play light tunes that the brave and courageous danced to. 

Countless vendors set up their temporary shops while others played badminton and bocce as  casually as if they did so each day. The weather was as perfect as the estate itself and for the first time in a week the temperatures were low enough to enjoy the summer sun without broiling. The evening could not have been more enchanting. 

Nearby: Spectacle Island

Heat drove a friend and me to Spectacle Island this past week, which offered us a temporary respite from the cruel blaze of the summer sun. We took the ferry from Long Wharf in downtown Boston and arrived at our lush destination fifteen minutes later. Along the way we passed other harbor islands, but this is the one we chose for our day, tempted by the promise of a swim and picturesque trailways that cover the landscape. When we arrived the island was filled with day campers and their counselors, all enjoying the sea breeze on the fourth or fifth day of over 90 degree temperatures. Armed with deli sandwiches and a healthy appetite, we walked to the summit of the island and found a bench to devour our lunch. Afterwards, the sandy beach and cool water beyond beckoned us and we let the salt of the water that we had traveled on soothe our overheated bodies. 

Who knew such a beautiful island waited for our Bostonian presences? 

Nearby: Old Scituate Light

Scituate is a charming, small coastal town on the South Shore easily accessible from Boston. It has a long history, dating back to 1627 when it took its name from an Indian word for "cold brook." Today I found myself standing beside the Old Scituate Light, built in the early 1800s and made famous for its involvement in the War of 1812. When a British warship approached the harbor, two teenage sisters who were keepers of the lighthouse played a fife and drum in an attempt to scare off the ship. Shockingly, their plan worked and the warship retreated. Now the lighthouse sees only tourists and locals alike enjoying the beauty of the landscape. My family and I could not have chosen a better day.