Day 80: The Way It Was

Teensie survived Irene! We left Boston this morning and headed south to where she had been in storage for five days. The closer we got to her location, the more concerned we became about what her condition might be...massive tree limbs littered the roadside and, no doubt, many of them had initially fallen onto the road and been moved. Broken branches dangled from electric lines, and mud and debris layered much of the ground. The campground that provided our storage had its power restored yesterday evening and reopened for business this morning.

Once we got onto the road with the camper, our drive to Plymouth was relatively short. We'll stay here, in the cradle of the European colonization of America, for the next seven days. We'll spend a lot of time venturing out from here...to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Rhode Island. This afternoon, we visited the Pilgrim sites: Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower II, and Plimoth Plantation--a living history museum that interprets the colonists' village in 1627 (seven years after their arrival on the Mayflower) and a Native People's homesite. Additionally, the Plantation includes a craft barn, in which modern artisans replicate the pottery, weaving, wood carving and sewing that would have taken place in the 1627 settings.

The girls' ears were challenged by the Old English dialect used by the interpretters in the colonist village. And we learned much about the native Wampanoag people who traded with and helped the English arrivals. The tribes had been decimated by European diseases in the years prior to the pilgrims' arrival; the English took the empty villages of the native people to be a sign of God's approval of their plans to colonize the area. So many aspects of the pilgrim story are hard to hear, much less accept as our heritage. Nevertheless, we all learned a great deal and enjoyed our interactions with the costumed interpretters.

The Mayflower II is a full-scale replica of the original Mayflower that brought the pilgrims in 1620. It was built in England in the 1950s and sailed to her new home in Plymouth in 1957. We were struck by how small the ship is...and to think of the 102 pilgrims being stuck below deck (in a cargo ship without windows, not intended for passengers) for nearly the entire voyage and then living on her for months beyond their arrival! The man who "hosted" us onboard the ship said that records indicate the passengers spent approximately eight hours in the fresh air for the entire nine weeks under sail. The decks would have been a hive of dangerous activity for the crew, who were battling rough seas and the potential of hurricanes. About half of the passengers were pilgrims, people who sought a place in which to practice their form of religion without the prejudices they had faced in England and, later, Holland. The other passengers were adventurers, of sorts: people who were hired by English investors to make a go of a colony in the New World, creating a new stream of natural resources from which to profit. Nearly half of the colonists died that first winter. But by 1627, the village had grown thanks to new arrivals, swelling the population to more than 160. In just a few years' time, Plymouth Colony began to shrink; it was overshadowed by the newer and more prosperous Massachusetts Bay Colony (established in 1630), and many of the Plymouth inhabitants ended up in Boston.

We're experiencing the story backwards, having begun our education about colonists while in Boston and now picking up the earlier chapters here in Plymouth. We also were glad to see Plymouth Rock, which supposedly marks the site of the pilgrims' first steps in the New World. Whether or not it marks the actual place, it serves as a memorial to brave and fiercely determined people, who believed in their faith, their abilities and the potential of this unknown land to provide a better life.

Entering 1627

Gathering mint with Mary

Plymouth Colony village

Mayflower II

Day 79: A Whale of a Day

Mom's last few hours with us in Boston were fantastic...we were on a whale-watching cruise to the Stellwagen Bank, miles out into the Atlantic. The bank, a protected marine habitat and a favorite feeding ground for three species of whale and many other creatures, is a large shelf  (19 miles wide, six miles wide) 100 feet below the surface; in areas around the shelf, the ocean is more than 600 feet deep.  In the bank's crill-plentiful waters, it was thrilling to see four gentle, enormous humpbacks blow and breach the surface, at times only feet from our boat.

The cruise was hosted by whale researchers who fed us many interesting facts about the humpback, an endangered species. There were more than 100,000 of them in the world's oceans prior to their near-obliteration by whale hunting, now a banned practice. The humpback population has been slow to recover, now numbering 35,000. Each one has a black and white pattern on the underside of its tail that is as unique as a fingerprint, allowing the bank's migrating population to be catalogued. Newborn babies are an average 10 feet long and weigh a ton--literally! It's estimated that more than 60% of humpbacks have been ensnared in some type of fishing apparatus. The four we saw today, identified by their tail patterns as Draco, Jabirus, Shuffleboard and Banyan, had various scars to prove the point.

Following the cruise, we made our way to the airport and said our sad goodbyes to Mom. Then we put Kelsey in charge of our journey to the Aquarium via the subway--a complicated route. She successfully directed us through three transfers and in the right direction on four different lines. Stan and I love cities with a subway option, and Kelsey seems to have inherited our enthusiasm. We've definitely made good use of our multi-day passes for Boston's "T".

The New England Aquarium was a great way to end our exploration of Boston. Our encounters with seals (they reminded us of our dogs!) and sea turtles were favorites. One of the giant, 550-lb. turtles, Myrtle, is around 80 years old and has been in this particular aquarium for 30 years. Even in a city that's all about history, such longevity (in an animal that can live past 100) seems extraordinary. We hope she's still around the next time we're in Boston...because we're sure there will be future visits to this great city. We've loved every minute.

Banyan, Shuffleboard and Jabirus feeding on crill

a whale blow

Draco diving

Touching rays in the aquarium's huge touch-tank

shark in the four-story coral-reef tank

This seal could be a behavioral twin of our golden retriever, Bella. Even the toy ring in its mouth looks familiar!

And this sea lion made us think of Midnight, our "Labradoormat". :-)

Day 78: Tips and Tales

We completed the Freedom Trail today, picking up a few more pieces of it that we missed two days ago. Two that stand out are Fanueil Hall and the Old North Church. Fanueil has been a public meeting house since its construction in 1742. It was modeled after English commerce houses that had a market on the lower level and a large meeting room on its upper. Another aspect borrowed from the British...a golden cricket on the weathervane, a symbol of commerce. Nicknamed Gus, the cricket is original, having survived numerous hurricanes. And speaking of hurricanes, it was hard to believe Boston was facing that threat yesterday. Aside from a few downed limbs in parks, the city was unscathed. The Old North Church, from which Paul Revere's signal of lanterns shown, still has an active congregation. Its tall steeple, which used to tower over Boston, has been lost to storms twice in its long history; it was wonderful to visit it intact the day after Irene.

We picked up a big tip from locals today: avoid being out and about in the city this coming Thursday...Move-In Day for Harvard, MIT and Boston College. The number of Uhauls driving around the city (often by people who otherwise never drive) leaps exponentially, and a surprising number get into accidents, including stuck under the bridges. In fact, a couple of the campus radio stations run contests, with cash prizes and concert tickets, about what time and location those bridge bumps will happen. Glad we're leaving on Wednesday!

Some of those same students will more than likely be involved in some of the legendary pranks at MIT. Most of them involve a round-topped building (we can't remember its name) that looks a bit like the Jefferson Memorial with solid walls. Perhaps the most famous trick was when a group took apart a decommissioned campus security car and reassembled it on top of the building, complete with a mannequin patrolman, coffee and donuts. The car is now on permanent display in MIT's museum.

And finally, a bit of our learning curve re: the Big Dig (also known as the Big Leak). This public works project, the second largest in the nation's history, involved the move of Boston's section of Interstate 93, and its complicated interchanges as it moves through downtown, to tunnels. The topside space was unburdened of unsightly concrete bridges that blocked views, and the opened up ground was changed into beautiful parkland. But the project, which had unbelievable leaks and other structural issues, ran over budget by years and Billions of dollars. Final totals: 28 years, $15 billion. Ouch.

Thanks to my mom's offer of babysitting, Stan and I enjoyed a rare treat...a dinner date. We ate near Faneuil Hall in The Green Dragon, a tavern that's been around since 1657. It was considered by the British Loyalists to be a hotbed of Revolutionaries, and was frequented by Samuel Adams, Daniel Webster and Paul Revere. It wasn't a particularly hopping place tonight, but we'll cut it some slack for being a Monday. Our lobster roll was delicious (couldn't resist another chance to indulge!), and the Samuel Adams Brick Red, an ale available only in Boston, was perfect. Mom heads home tomorrow afternoon; we're so glad of the many fun memories we've made together in this amazing city.

Fanueil Hall and statue of Samuel Adams

Kendall and her "Big Dig"--she's so proud of recognizing it on our daily wanderings

Paul Revere's house, the oldest in Boston

Paul Revere and the Old North Church Steeple

a late-afternoon cruise on the Charles River to rest our weary feet

Day 77: in the clear

Rain fell in horizontal sheets today, but we didn't see the flooding that so many other cities are experiencing. This evening, the skies above Boston cleared, and the weatherman has forecast a beautiful day tomorrow. We'll catch up with our march on the Freedom Trail, paying our respects to the Old North Church, from which the lanterns shone that warned of the British army moving by sea.
Thanks for the messages, texts and calls...we felt the prayers and concern of so many, and we're sure they're why we slept so well last night as the storm blew in.

Day 76: Hunkered Down

Boston is ready for Irene, and so are we. Harvard opened its dorms a few days early so students could be moved in by tomorrow morning, when the storm is at its peak. But the reverse was true on the highways...cars backed up for miles, carrying people out of the city. We feel quite safe in our hotel and look forward to a quiet day of games and movies. We need the rest after our doings today.

We visited the Old State House, site of the Boston Massacre; in its government responsibilities, it was replaced by the New State House, built in 1792! The old one sits in a canyon of huge buildings...quite a sight. Next up was the Old South Meeting House, a church from Boston's early days capable of seating 2,000 people. Its interior was gutted many times over the years, the most extensively in 1775, when it was scavenged and burned for firewood during the colonist patriots' siege of British-held Boston.

A water shuttle took us from Boston's Long Wharf to the Navy Shipyard, home to the U.S.S. Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides." It's the oldest sailing warship in the world (the British ship "Victory" is older, but it's in permanent dry dock) and is still a fully activated, commissioned ship of the U.S. Navy. The sailors assigned to her give tours and wear uniforms that would have been the norm in 1812, the year the ship gained its fame. In the War of 1812, a British warship engaged the U.S.S. Constitution; cannon balls never penetrated the hull, seeming to bounce off as though the ship were made of iron. Thus, the nickname. The British ship lost its three masts in the returning fire of the Americans, fatally disabling it. Following the surrender of its crew, the ship was burned and left to sink. Old Ironsides sailed in 34 sea battles and is being prepared for the 200th anniversary of her victory over the British ship that earned her the nickname.

Our final stop, to the Bunker Hill Monument, was made in a downpour. We slogged through huge puddles while following the red line, brick in some places and paint in others, that marks the Freedom Trail--a walking tour linking the Boston sites that played a part in our country's Independence. Climbing the 294 steps of the monument gave us a great workout but not the view we'd hoped for, as thick clouds of rain obscured the skies of the entire area. But the steps did mean we didn't feel guilty about having a second cookie, fresh from the oven, provided by the hotel. The kids took a while working through the sugar high; they'll have plenty of time tomorrow to make up for the late-to-bed night. Assuming we have electricity, we'll do our best to stay in touch.

Old South Meeting House, dating to 1729 

Old State house, dating to 1713.

Enjoying the Boston skyline on our water shuttle to the shipyard

U.S.S. Constitution in the Navy Shipyard. Hard to imagine hundreds of these ships in the harbor.

Kendall doesn't weigh much more than one of these 24-pound cannonballs!

Day 75: Quack!

The countdown to Irene is on here in Boston...we hope it means that the crowds will be smaller so we can squeeze in more of the sites before the storm hits on Sunday. This afternoon the kids had their first experience riding a subway. We hope to jump onto it a few more times and that it stays open for easy trips into the downtown area.

Kelsey and Kendall would say the subway doesn't add up to the fun we had on the Boston duck tour. The duck vehicles are amphibious landing trucks dating back to WWII. Our hilarious driver/tour guide drove our group by many of the historic sites and then headed straight down a ramp and into the Charles River. After he entertained with the usual slew of jokes and anecdotes that you expect on such a touristy activity, he invited the girls to come to the front of the duck and pilot us around the river basin.

A few of the things we learned about Boston:
* it contains more than 50 colleges, which means the population increases by 30% when the term begins.
* the Harvard Bridge (spanning the Charles River) is measured in Stoots--an MIT student named Oliver Stoot was ordered, as part of a fraternity hazing, to measure the length of the bridge using his body. At one end of the bridge, a painted marker states "36 and 1/ear Stoots."
* Every can of Boston baked beans contains exactly 239 beans...because one more would be (in a Boston accent) too-faaarty.
* Boston's subway system was the first in the nation.
* The nation's oldest jewelry store is in the heart of downtown...and Elizabeth Taylor bought five of her engagement rings there.

We also paid a visit to the Boston Public Library, the oldest lending library in the country. Its old wing contains incredible paintings and marble staircases that bring to mind the castles and grand houses of Europe. That atmosphere is further enhanced in the library's enclosed courtyard, which has the appearance and sounds of a Venetian palace. I don't think I'd get much studying done...the beauty within the old wing is too distracting.

We're settled into our hotel in Cambridge (Kendall is thrilled that its address is Kendall Square!) with food, water and flashlights at hand and the truck parked in a covered garage. And we have games and movies for Sunday, when Irene is expected to hit Boston. Until then, we plan to see and do as much as we can. Unfortunately, Stan and I are a little hobbled...we've come down with pretty bad cases of poison ivy and/or bug bites on our feet. At times, the itchiness is pushing me to the brink of sanity! In the grand scheme of things, especially in light of the impending force of Irene, my feet issues are no big deal. But ugh...they itch!!

e Venetian-style courtyard at the Boston Public Library...the oldest lending library in the country.

The grand staircase in the old wing of the library

Our "duck," Liberty Teresa

Another duck in the river with us

Kelsey is getting an inflated ego about her driving skills...two boats and a carriage on this trip.

Kendall takes the wheel

a duck's view of Boston

Day 74: Humble Beginnings

 In visiting the birthplaces of three presidents today, we were struck by some of the similarities...parents (especially fathers) who placed high expectations on their sons for leadership and civic responsibility; modest homes; an emphasis on faith and religion. John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, both were born in Braintree, south of Boston, in homes that literally were 75 feet apart. And John F. Kennedy was born just a few miles away in Brookline.

The home in which John Adams was born and raised was a modest, five-room structure.  To the initial disappointment of his father, he did not choose the professional path wished for him, that of a minister. He preferred farming to all else but, at his parents' insistence, did pursue a good bit of education and became a highly respected lawyer. His parents came to admire his success and even offered him the use of the family parlor (in which he'd never been allowed as a child) to use as his first law office. Interesting note: it was the only painted room in the home. Paint was a luxury, and a family's status was often evident in the amount of paint, both inside and out, on a house.

Upon John's marriage to Abigail, following five years of courtship (!), they moved into a second modest home on the family property; it happened to sit 75 feet away from the door of his parents' house. Both structures remain on their original foundations, and what once was a post road outside the front doors is now a busy street; huge trucks and buses pass just feet from the windows, and the noise is tremendous. But in spite of that, it's quite easy to envision the Adams families in their residences.

John Quincy was born in that second house. The second child of John and Abigail, he faced similar expectations from his parents as to his education and future success. He was a brilliant man and, at age 10, worked as his father's secretary during overseas political trips. Fluent in 10 languages, he served as ambassador to four different countries and totalled more than 70 years of public service over his lifetime. One of his passions was books, and during his many years of travel and work, he accumulated more than 12,000 volumes spanning a wide variety of topics and 14 languages. His books are on display in The Stone Library, a beautiful structure next to John and Abigail's final home, Peacefield, just a couple of miles away from their first. Four generations of their offspring lived at Peacefield, all the way to 1926, and many alterations and additions were made over the years; the library structure was added by John Quincy's son to house his father's vast collection. Sadly, the 6th president, who had served in Congress following his years as President (the only one to do so), died before seeing his precious books installed in their new home.

The final home we visited was that of Rose and Joe Kennedy, parents of John F. Kennedy, in Brookline. When they purchased the house around 1914, it was on the outskirts of Boston, and gave the newly married Rose the space she dreamed of for her future children to run and play. During the couple's six years there, she gave birth to four children in the master bedroom. John was her second son (and second child), and he and his older brother had big shoes to fill in the family line...their father was the youngest president of a bank in the entire country, and their grandfather (Rose's father) was a two-term mayor of Boston. When Joe Jr. (John's brother) was killed during WWII, all of the expectations placed on the older son were transferred to Jack, as he was called. He more than lived up to them, becoming a well-loved Congressman for Massachusetts and later the President.

It was interesting to be in these homes today and imagine the humble beginnings of three men who would go on to shape our country in monumental ways. Tomorrow we move into the heart of Boston, staying in a hotel for the next five nights. The long-planned time in the city is providential, allowing us to hole up in safety for as long as necessary while Hurricane Irene makes her way up the coast and across New England. We pray for a last-minute change in her anticipated course, but we feel as ready as possible for her onslaught. We've changed our camper storage to one that's more inland than Plymouth, our original plan. Assuming there's still a Plymouth Rock to visit when the storm is over, we'll pick up the camper and head to that area after Boston. Thanks for the prayers and concern on our behalf. We're being cautious and won't take any unnecessary risks in the days ahead.

Above, the birthplace of John Adams. His wife, Abigail, gave birth to their first son, John Quincy Adams, in the house below. The houses are called "Saltboxes" because they resemble the boxes used to hold tablesalt in the 18th century. They're narrow houses with two rooms up and down, and a long room added on at ground level along the back.

John and Abigail's Peacefield, and home to their future generations. The Old Stone Library, housing John Quincy's thousands of books, is below. It sits next to Peacefield.

Stan and Kendall worked together on her Junior Ranger book in the Kennedy home. In the background beyond Stan's hand is a small table at which Jack and his older brother, Joe, sat during formal meals in the dining room. Below is the home's modest kitchen.

A rare treat, dinner out, at the historic Colonial Inn in Concord. Past guests, both of the inn and its restaurant, include Jackie Kennedy (a regular), Elizabeth Taylor and FDR. We enjoyed the ambience almost as much as the delicious food!

Day 73: The Start of Something Really Big

Concord, Mass., was a hotbed of rebellion that contributed to the start of the American Revolution. And less than 50 years later, it was a hotbed of ideas and literary giants. Our time in the Minuteman National Historical Park opened our eyes to the risks willingly taken by men who believed in liberty more than their own lives...and in many cases sacrificed all. The "shot heard round the world" that sparked the Revolution took place in this tiny community, when 400 patriots from the village and the surrounding towns stood up to 700 British Regulars--"Redcoats"--and beat them back to Boston. The militia numbers eventually swelled to thousands as men heard of the fighting and joined in to defend their way of life. None of these brave men had any idea of the world-altering effect of their actions.

Hearing the facts of Paul Revere's ride (which was never completed...Concord was warned by one of his fellow riders), and later seeing one of the two lanterns that shone from the Old North Church as he had instructed, was fantastic. Part of our education today involved speaking with Minutemen (rangers re-enacting them), militia who were ready at a moment's notice to defend their communities. And as always, the kids' Junior Ranger books gave us insights and activities that made this special park all the more real. Perhaps our favorite spot was the Old North Bridge, where the British and militia engaged each other in a full-scale battle following the Redcoat attacks on a small band of patriots just up the road on the Lexington Common. The bridge spans a peaceful stream in a setting of utter tranquility. To recognize its significance in world history was spine-tingling.

The natural beauty of the area regained its foothold following the carnage of the Revolution. The trees and serenity of Concord gave birth to the Transcendentalist Movement, promoted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and her family, and many other noteworthy people. The movement espoused the divine being accessible through nature.

Tomorrow we'll revisit the Revolution from the perspective of John Adams, visiting his home south of Boston. It's so much fun having my mom with us; she doesn't seem to mind sharing our cramped lifestyle in Teensie. The more, the merrier!

Kelsey and Granny reading about Paul Revere's ride from Boston

The girls enjoyed chatting with Mr. Hartwell, a patriot who owned a tavern on the Battle Road

A beautiful swath of wild flowers seems at odds with the history of this place...the road leading back to Boston, along which the British were forced to flee--with much loss of life.

The famous Minuteman Statue, which stands on the western end of the bridge (below), in honor of the patriots.

Old North Bridge (rebuilt)

Kendall and Kelsey being honored as brand-new junior rangers

Day 72: The ripple effect

 Lowell National Historical Park, northwest of Boston, highlights the bygone time of the Industrial Revolution, when factories made easy work of tasks previously done by hand. Output was increased exponentially, which grew the market and increased its range of goods; and machines were developed and improved in a huge swell of mechanical development. But the real story is in the people of the day. The textile mills of Lowell were operated by a new workforce: unskilled young women who arrived in droves from New England farms. The mills included boarding houses, and the community created in them was considered strict and safe for girls...behavior was tightly managed, church attendance was mandatory, and the pay was much better than what they could earn on or near the family farms. But that was the early days of the mills.

As the textile industry grew, and more mills came online, the market was glutted with fabrics. Rather than decrease the payouts to investors, mill owners cut wages, lengthened the work day to 14 hours and demanded greater output in increasingly dangerous conditions. When the women began to rally and the concept of a strike was born, tensions deepened. The mill owners, rather than give in to the demands of these young women, hired children and impoverished immigrants to work the looms. Master craftsmen who once ran their own small businesses in Europe were treated as second-class citizens, with no specialty or ownership of their work. The mill owners were focused on the bottom line instead of artistry. All of these facts collided in Lowell, and it became a tenement-ridden, economically devastated city. And while the Industrial Revolution can be credited with setting America on a course of independence as far as goods and technological advancement, its failures carry forward to today. Unions can trace their roots to it, and child labor laws and fair-pay measures were created in reaction to it.

In spite of all that we learned, our time in Lowell wasn't gloom and doom. We really enjoyed seeing a working mill room; the factory floor, which held 100 power looms (about 20 were operating today), was unbelievably loud--even with earplugs! In its years of peak production, it ran 3,500 looms simultaneously. We can't imagine the sound, heat, humidity and mess they must have created. A ride on the mill's trolley system was a real treat...two restored trolleys from 1901 run the circuit of tracks that carried the thousands of mill workers between the factory and boarding houses. It also was great to see many of the giant mill buildings, once derelict, now reborn as community colleges, loft living, office space and a couple of tech firms.

My mom arrived without a hitch late this afternoon, and none of us was even aware of the earthquake until a friend called to check on us. Now we have our eyes fixed on Hurricane Irene, hopeful that it will weaken and/or shift its path to avoid us (and the rest of the eastern seaboard). We'll play hard regardless...a full week of exploring the many historic places in Boston. :-)

Day 71: Stepping Into a Book

Hello from Boston! We're settled into the Minuteman Campground on the western outskirts of this great city. Our short drive from New Hampshire left us enough time to visit Orchard House, the nearby home of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Author of the classic "Little Women," among other books, Louisa based that work on her own family and growing-up years. Orchard House, in the historic town of Concord, was the main setting; seeing it today made the book even more special to me.

Louisa was a very talented writer who was, self-admittedly, prone to mood swings. One of the original pieces in the house, a horsehair sofa, has a pillow on it that was Louisa's "mood pillow." When it was upright, it signified that she was in a good mood and would entertain conversation from friends and family. But if it was lying on its side, watch out! Kelsey and Kendall decided to spend a little of their trip money on mood pillows in the Orchard House gift shop. Another quirk of Louisa's is that she had self-taught ambidexterity. Her 14-hour-long days of writing, when on one of her creative binges, put too much pressure on her right hand; she decided to write left-handed when her right hand began to cramp. Louisa was determined in many other aspects, as well. Long an outspoken supporter of equal rights, she was the first woman in Concord to place a vote following the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Orchard House is actually two structures that were hodge-podged together by Louisa's father when he bought the run-down property in the late 1850s. The house, never in great shape, is now in terrible condition, with large cracks in the plaster walls and growing gaps in the woodwork. A few years ago, it was discovered that the place didn't have a foundation; engineers have since added one, shoring up things as best as possible. But it doesn't appear as though it will be around forever. In fact, we were surprised that visitors were given access to the entire house (on a guided tour). There's not a square window or level floor to be found, to the point that some beds look as though the sleeper would roll right out of it.

Louisa and her youngest sister, May, helped the Alcott family move out of poverty and spruce up the place a bit--including Louisa's gift to her mother of a soapstone sink that cost $100--what her father made in one year as Superintendent of Concord schools. Louisa's "Little Women" gained world-wide acclaim (it was the "Harry Potter" of its day) and has been translated into more than 50 languages. And May was a talented painter whose work was in demand by collectors around the world. Her artistic ability was detected early on thanks to pictures she drew as a child on the walls and doorposts of Orchard House. Her father, a leader in the transcendentalist philosophical movement, believed that his girls should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way seemed the most natural, and asked only that May's drawings on the walls would continuously improve! Many of her wall sketches have been preserved and are visible through plexiglass covers mounted throughout the house. One of her art pupils, whom she mentored through his early training, was Daniel Chester French, who went on to sculpt the seated Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.  He credited May with having had a huge influence on his life, even though she died relatively young following complications in the birth of her daughter.

Seeing the shelf desk at which Louisa wrote "Little Women," as well as the piano on which her sister Beth played, made me feel as though I'd stepped into the pages of the book--one of my all-time favorites. We watched the 1994 movie version tonight, and the girls are hooked. Even the teary parts of it are so satisfying...not as good as reading the book, but close. :-)

Tomorrow can't get here soon enough; we're excited to have my mom fly into Boston for a seven-day visit with us! Stan and I have told the girls they're not allowed to put their new mood pillows in the sideways position for the next week or so.

Orchard House. Notice how lop-sided the 2nd floor, 2nd from left window appears...a tiny taste of the inside!