It’s not like Massachusetts, where they’re baptized Democrats.”
It’s another gorgeous morning, cool and sunny. A breeze is blowing. The leaves, dappled in sunlight, are gently swinging from the ends of their branches. I stood on the deck for the longest time this morning just taking in the day. I watched Gracie roaming what I call the back forty. I watched the birds taking seeds from the feeders then I sat down for just a bit and heard the fountain, the songs of the birds and the crunch of the leaves when Gracie ran over them as she circled the yard. I smelled the flowers and the freshness of the air. The morning filled all my senses.
Today I have errands, and I’m not even complaining. It’s a perfect day for a ride even if it is to the grocery store and the pharmacy. I’m thinking after my stops I might just keep going on the back roads and travel a bit down-cape. I haven’t done that in a while, but then again, I have a new book and comfy deck chairs. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll put off the errands until late afternoon and sit outside with my book, a cold drink and Miss Gracie. I like having choices.
I have lived in Massachusetts for the whole of my life except, of course, for the two years in the Peace Corps. I wouldn’t think of living anywhere else. We have four seasons: two I love and two I tolerate because of their extremes. We have mountains, albeit small ones, and the seashore. History oozes all around us. We can visit Plimouth Plantation and Plymouth Rock and be whisked back to 1620, and we can stand where the revolution unfolded on Lexington Green. Paul Revere’s house still stands as does the steeple where he watched for the lanterns. We can ride the pedal-driven swan boats on the small lake in the Boston Public Garden just as people did over a hundred years ago. Here on the cape, whales spend the summer and a few great white sharks make headlines. Nothing tastes better than steamed clams freshly dug from the sand flats. I still take pride that this was the only state which voted for McGovern. We love our sports teams, sometimes even rabidly, and they have thanked us by winning championships. White churches on hills are still parts of small Massachusetts towns. Nothing is prettier than fall when bright red and yellow leaves decorate trees and shade roads. I may complain but falling snow is lovely.
I have always considered myself lucky for living here.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: cape cod, four seasons, Great white shark, Massachusetts, Plymouth Rock, Public Garden, steamed clams
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July 21, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Yes, you are very lucky to live in Massachusetts. Or, as people here in Texas call it “Taxachusetts”. 🙂
Texas is also similar. We have a long Gulf shoreline, hills, plains and mountains. Unfortunately, the nearest shore is about 300 miles south, and the nearest mountains are over 500 miles west. Not your easiest sunday day trip in the car. The nicest cities in Texas, and the two with some history, are Austin and San Antonio. We have two seasons, both of which are miserable, hot and cold with about a month of spring and fall each year squeezed in-between.
Texas produces a large variety of products including crazy people who rise to the top of national prominence and give our State a bad rap everywhere else. Our Governor, Rick Perry, is a prime example. Of course you guys get to claim Mitt Romney for what ever that’s worth. The only countries in the world who execute more people than Texas are Iran, China and Syria. We are however one of only three states with no income tax. Of, course we rank 48th in educational achievement and even lower in services for the elderly and disabled. The primary goal of Texas secondary education is to produce a winning high school football team. On the plus side, I have not yet been laid off in the one state that has had some job growth since the start of the great recession. The one thing that’s rare in Texas are Democrats.
Today’s forecast is for very hot and very dry. Summer in Texas what else should we expect.
July 21, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Bob,
It always amazes me when people call Massachusetts that as the tax rate is low in many areas. It is 37th in tax burden on income and 44th on spending burden on income. There is a state sales tax but that puts us with 44 other states. I don’t get why the nickname taxachusetts.
Your state is so large that you can be, as you wrote, far away from the shore. Here the distance from mountains to ocean is only 184 miles: from one end of the state to the other.
I love San Antonio and would go back time and time again.
Sadly, Mitt claimed Massachusetts so he could run for governor. He never got my vote I write proudly.
Massachusetts is second in student performance and sixth in services to the elderly. This state is third in best states for job growth, and the state’s average income is $57,739. I think Massachusetts gets a bum rap.
July 21, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Thanks for the information. The politicians use terms like “taxachusetts or Obamacare” because most people are too lazy or too stupid to get the facts for themselves. Our founding fathers envisioned an informed electorate. Today most people make their decisions on tweets and sound bites.
July 21, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Bob,
You are so right about the tweets and sound bites.
July 21, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Hi Kat,
I, too, have lived in Massachusetts my whole life except for some bits I lived in Maine. They don’t count because when I lived in Maine I was still “from away”. 🙂
I still remember the bumper sticker from the Watergate days that said “Don’t blame me. I’m from Massachusetts.”
So far today I have managed to block a lace shawl and photograph it. Hey, it required getting out the iron and ironing board which I consider work. Maybe I will do some laundry as I only have one pair of clean nethers left. Maybe I will wait until tomorrow.
It’s a beautiful day here. Lovely cooling breezes. Lovely, not overly warm sunshine.
Enjoy your day!
July 21, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Hi Caryn,
I had one of those stickers on my car! I was proud to have that on my bumper. My favorite bumper from those days was,” Nixon has a staff infection.”
I did laundry yesterday: two loads. The second one is still in the dryer. I have watered the outside deck plants, and that’s it for the day. I am going to change the litter in a bit and put it in the car.
It beautiful in the same way here.
Have a great evening!
July 21, 2012 at 2:23 pm
We have beside Denmark the highest taxes in the world 🙂 Still I love to live in this little country 🙂
Well it’s actually the fifth biggest country in Europe but we’re only nine million people here.
I loved growing up by the ocean and the ocean is the only thing I miss from my old home town. History is just around the corner, I found a map that showed we have around 15 ancient relics just here in my village 🙂 🙂 No buildings though, mostly piles of stones that may bee old tombs.
I have to admit that falling snow is beautiful, I just wish it would melt before it reached the ground 🙂
I’m a bit surprised, I think we had a summer day here today and they say it will be much the same tomorrow. Well it is 2012 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
July 21, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Christer,
I hate paying taxes, but it is the price we pay for services. You have far more perks there than we here so your taxes are working for the common good.
You should snap pictures of those relics as they’re interesting and it’s good to have pictures in case they disappear over time.
I don’t mind a little snow on the ground but only a little!
Happy summer!
July 21, 2012 at 11:42 pm
I actually don’t hate paying taxes since I know we’ll get good health care and so many other things. When I made a lot of money I payed lots of tax but never minded it then either 🙂 If I didn’t pay a lot of taxes I wouldn’t have been able to get my hip implants, I would never have been allowed any health care insurance due to my rheumatic diseases (or it would have been so bloody expensive that I never would be able to afford it).
Most of those relics are piles of stones and hard to see, especially since there’s a lot of cows in the fields, they tend to attack if I bring my dogs and they have calves 🙂 🙂 🙂
July 21, 2012 at 5:50 pm
There was a lot of history in Northern Virginia which is a big reason I hated to leave. My kids love New England and never give up a free business trip to Boston usually building in a weekend. The last time Rebecca was out at the Cape she bought tees for all of us and they were high quality and of bed and breakfasts that had been there far more than a hundred years. I spent five days working at the Kennedy Compound a month after Bobby was assassinated but that’s all I really saw. We could never find a car to get to town. I’m glad you like where you live.
July 21, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Z&Me,
I think living in an historical area is the best of many worlds. You get to connect with the past while living in the present. I give Cape Cod t-shirts to my family when the shirts go on sale. They live in Colorado and like wearing them there.
The closest town to the Kennedy compound is Hyannis, and it is a tourist hotspot though there are a few good restaurants. I seldom go to Hyannis but am sometimes forced to for appointments so I shop while I’m there. Trader Joe’s has the best food: meat and cheese and wonderful pizza. I also hit Pier 1 for sales and Barnes and Noble just because.
July 22, 2012 at 12:45 am
… well …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUfUNNN68eQ
Cheers
July 22, 2012 at 9:59 am
minicapt,
I’ll look for this one as I’m not a fan of the BeeGee’s version-thanks!
July 22, 2012 at 7:06 am
Living far away from Massachusetts I looked for a video and found nice pictures with an Arlo song. Must be a beautiful place to live.
In case others are interested in a slideshow to your post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNc0VCfKuck
In my country “Massachusetts” is often associated with a piano due to a legendary comedy scetch, but I don’t think it works well in other countries. (Subtitled video linked in my name.)
July 22, 2012 at 9:57 am
Birgit,
I got a chuckle from that comedy sketch especially funny were the constant cake eaters!
This video is beautiful. I think it may be from the western part of the state were there are streams and mountains along what is called the Mohawk Trail. It is lovely.
July 22, 2012 at 11:39 am
I loved that sketch 🙂 🙂 🙂
July 22, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Me too, Christer!