On July 4th, we took advantage of an exceedingly rare sunny day here, and went to our favorite beach. It was a bit windy, but it was a beach. Only a couple of hours, but it was a beach.
Life is, after all, a beach. Let me repeat. I love the beach. At least a few times a year.
While on the beach, we noticed a number of guys wearing a jacket and tie, carrying dress shoes, accompanied by women in party dresses, carrying their dress shoes.
Upon leaving, we noticed a rather surreal scene: 40 chairs lined in rows along the beach. I said: So, a wedding? Or a sales rally? A beach wedding, I think.
Yes, a wedding, someone said.
While waiting for hubby and son to get the car, I noticed a man having just returned from biking on the beach. Not the best day, I said. Oh it is perfect, he said. I come here every afternoon. I bike here, then run.
Oh perfect, I said. He said he lives on S....Avenue, in a rental, because he is renting his house on the Vineyard.
I then tell him my ancestors are the Mayhews and the Samsons from the Mayflower. He said: I am impressed.
His family money built Plimoth Plantation.
So this guy might be a Hornblower. Anywho, this kind of thing happens in this neck of the woods.
We are about to drive toward the center of Rockport to park our car, when we discover the 4th of July parade route has already begun.
The road is blocked off, at the opposite end of town from the Marina.
Dozens of fire appratus and ambulances are what form the parade, with honking, and yelling and screaming. We walk quickly, in my case, very quickly, from the apparatus to get to the center of town. That is a few miles.
Still windy, but still sunny.
We meet up with our relatives (hubby's family), and spend a few hours walking around the shops, the Marina, getting salt-water taffy, then a sandwich from a Mexican shop.
We walk a few more miles toward the Bonfire, at the other end of town, and saw some lovely fireworks and a very awesome Bonfire, with 1,500 pallets.
On the way back, about midnight and 12 hours after we left, we finish the salt water taffy, and drive back. All but the driver sleep.
The Gloucester and Rockport pictures are from previous years, but the fireworks and Bonfire photos are new.
The next day, we went to the zoo, where the animals sought their revenge on Little Kathy, now grown up. (Next photo essay).
Gloucester
Rockport
Bonfire at night
Fireworks
Difficult to catch fireworks, because they are faster than a speeding bullet or a digital camera.
Bonfire
1,500 pallets.
The origin of the word, Bonfire, is a contraction of the word 'bone fire', which dates from ancient times when bones were burned to ward off evil spirits. In Ireland, sometimes in Midsummer, Bonfires are still burned, as well as on Halloween, or at other times, such as Nov. 5th, Guy Fawkes Day.
Rockport contains a lot of Irish, naturally.
Other cities and towns such as Newton, Waltham, Salem, and Lexington, also have large fireworks displays, apart from Boston's incredible celebration, but this year, we chose to go to Rockport.
I had seen the Pops 4th years ago, when it only required advance grass seating of a few hours ahead of time, not 24 hours ahead.
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Comments: 73
We were in Gloucester almost four years ago now, but it was a great trip. We had a great time whale watching and the food was wonderful. I'd love to go back again.
Hope your weather is improving. We hit 85°F and bright sunshine today.
Ah, Gloucester is so great, even for Northeasterners...Yes, it was about that here, too...
Well, you really did have a busy fourth of July ... in beautiful scenary. I enjoyed sharing it with you, Kathryn.
It was nice...
thanks for sharing, beautiful old houses and other old building ..
Yes, it is..
What a great time!
Have you ever read the book Southie? I finished it a few weeks ago, about a man that grew up there....tough life.
Southie.... I think my husband has it. Lehane?
My hubby grew up in the Dot.
beautiful pictures........ my beaches are all southern so they look nothing like those in your pictures...... your pictures give me a strong sense of wanderlust......
The rocks are so interesting in the N.E. and so much like England, so different from the Paciific or the South, but similar to Oregon and Washington.
When we lived in Malbourough Jamie and I loved to drive the cost from Mass to Maine.
The beach in New Hampshire was an early picnic spot and in Maine we dined at Lobster Pounds.
A beautiful and well told photo essay. Your Fourth sounds and looks sublime.
Ah you loved Mass and New England......
Yes I did. For a two year period I was selling for a national hardware company and traveled the six new England states.
I was a lousy hardware salesman and got fired.
I can only sell what I love; not a natural saleswoman. The truly successful sales people have no soul. You have a soul, dear Davie.
Great photos and essay
TY
Beautiful photos, Kathryn! I love the beach too...:)
Beaches are great.
Kathryn, this is an amazing photo essay.
10 4 u
TY
Looks like you had an amazing fourth of july. Love the pics
We usually watch Boston on TV or go to one of the live fireworks, but this was wonderful.
Indeed a way to lead a sunny day into memory.
Irony etc.
Thank you
Beautiful photo essay. The town looks so much like Martha's Vinyard. The houses are just as colorful and pretty.
A lot....which I also love....love love love MV.
Nice job!
TY
Gloucester and Rockport are both beautiful areas. Loved the pictures. We rarely venture that far but really should. Ma does have many wonderful areas to explore.
MASS is one of the most beautiful and varied states in the country, with mountains, lakes, skiing or beach within an hour's drive, not to mention, city or country within an hour, too. Out West, California has all the same, but is farther away.
I absolutely love Gloucester and you have given me a taste of what I haven't yet savored this summer!
Let's hope the summer improves. Weatherman said a couple of days ago maybe a storm for today, but so far, it is gorgeous. I am really, really, really missing the sun...
I like the lakes of NH, but I really really miss the coast.
god this place is beautiful
It really is. I love the Seacost, but only go a few times a year. Montreal, of course, really did not have an active BEACH culture, though its lakes are wonderful, esp. around Magog. And SLC, well, it has a Salty Lake, which, along with the Dead Sea, are the two saltiest bodies on earth, and people can float.
nope montreal is noted for the dirty st. laurence river, as a child I went to st. Eustache beach but that is not montreal it is mainland, and growing up I went to ontario beaches mostly.
very interesting
It is beautiful.
Small world. Huge world.
I loved Gloucester when I visited there in 1959.
Ah, you must return. The famous Fisherman is still there, but Gorton's has been owned by Sun Moon for a few decades now. Rockport gets more interesting every year, and the shops change yearly, though some have stayed for decades.
It fulfilled my dream of a New England fishing village. We each bought a cold, boiled lobster and a huge dill pickle and sat on the rocks by the shore and ate.
WOWSAS, what a visula ride~the Bonfire is terrifyingly~beautiful~
It really WAS fab...large and exciting. Rockport is aptly named. We had to stand on these horrible rocks for 2 hours.
Thanks for posting to GutterGirls~
Thanks for posting to Fourth Of July Photos
:)
This is my home.
The little green house with the purple shutters is around the corner from my house. This is Rocky Neck in Gloucester - oldest artist colony in the U.S. I'm so glad you post these pictures and love it here as I do. Tucks salt water taffy is the best!
Tucks IS da best, and yes I love Rocky Neck. Such a beautiful neighborhood you live in, Kenn...
That's wonderful. I love those old towns.
:)
Gloucester looks like my kind of town. Love the beach and the bonfire was thrilling. Looking forward to the animals revenge on Little Kathy, hee hee
tee hee. NE is so great.
Well, time to go outside in the SUN! and to a movie~
beautiful photos would like to visit there so pretty
:)
beautiful pics kathryn.... hope i was near some beach too... :(
:)
Great pictures Kathryn. Hope to get some in Ct next week.
That would be GREAT.........
I love the pictures the most!!
yes they are great......
Thanks for sharing your visit with us. I too loved the pictures. A very interesting article. I love the old houses and the old shops. I'm glad you had a good time. If you have any taffy left you could send it this way.lol. Have a good night.
we ate the taffy, sry.....
I love Glochester and Rockport, Kathryn. He must have been a Hornblower if his family built Plimoth Plantation. What an exciting 4th you had. I need to get up north to your country... thought about stopping there on the way home from Maine but was just too tired.
Yep, he must be a Hornblower. He said it was his family that built it, so I looked up the family responsible. Very interesting man. Oh yeah, definitely go to Gloucester, Good Harbor Beach and to Rockport...
hi All freinds
good morning
yes isaw these very nice picd from beach
best regards
lahcene
:)
great photo essay!
WoW! That is one big bonfire. Great photos. I loved how colorful the town was.
Loved the essay, photos and extra information. Some camera's have a fireworks setting that captures the actual look of fireworks. Sam found it on our camera last year...but now we have a different camera. I saw no fireworks this year.
thank you....did not know that about cameras and fireworks.....