2.25.15 Thinking of New England

Looking toward the Boston Yacht Club
from Fort Sewell, Marblehead, MA

Colder than normal weather here in Texas this week, and all the news about the wicked weather in the northeast has me thinking about time I have spent in New England.

My daughter is having the time of her life experiencing her first "real" winter.  She's never seen anything like what's going on up there right now (of course, neither have her classmates who grew up in that part of the country, they were infants the last time there was a winter like this).  As for me, I've seen all the winter I care too, and I'd much rather visit that part of the country in the summer and fall.

Several years ago, we were in Marblehead, outside Boston, for a fall wedding and it was wonderful.  While temperatures in Texas were still flirting with the century mark, we were enjoying temperate days and cool evenings.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has been reading this blog that my preferred souvenir from any adventure is (wait for it) jewelry.  Wandering around Marblehead, I found a wonderful shop, Mahri, featuring artisan pieces created by owner Marianthe “Mahri” Anagnostis Bode.

I spotted this pair of bezel set opal earrings - and really loved the red in them.  As it happened, I had a red dress to wear to the rehearsal dinner, so I bought the earrings, and they were perfect with it.

I have some other, older, souvenirs from previous trips. Nearly fifteen years ago we took a family vacation to Boothbay Harbor, Maine during their Windjammer Days tall ships festival.  One of the artists at the festival was a silversmith, and he had this wonderful ship brooch - which I thought would be the perfect remembrance of what was one of our best family vacations.  I still smile and think of blueberry pancakes and duckpin bowling each time I wear it.

A couple of years later, shortly after my mother had died, and I was going through her jewelry - I came across these scrimshaw earrings, with tall ships, that she had picked up on a trip to New England when I was a girl.  They were on a pair of badly tarnished kidney wires, so I put new silver shell leverbacks on them. Now, I often wear the two pieces together - bringing back wonderful memories of time both with my parents and with my children.

With so much family up and down the east coast, I have plenty of reasons to visit often - but I think I will wait for warmer weather, and simply wear my trinkets for now.

Until next time.