Taunton Green 2014
I made a trip over to the “Green” and used my new camera for the first real time. I’ve been snapping pics around the house but this was my first real photo excursion. Maybe it was me and that the camera is still a bit unfamiliar but I don’t think I really captured the beauty of the display this year. But I promised to share so here they are. The theme is Frozen loosely based on the Disney movie.
The big tree is crooked. I doubled checked and it wasn’t me it was the tree. 🙂
My adopted city of Taunton, MA is known as the Christmas City. Every year the city goes all out with a light display.
The Annual Lighting of the Green and Lights On Festival is traditionally held the Friday following the Friday after Thanksgiving.  The Lighting of the Green has happened in the center of Taunton for 100 years, and we hope this tradition will survive 100 more.  This year’s Lighting of the Green will be focused on 100 years of family memories, and it’s sure to offer something for the whole family.
Originally the Green was decorated to draw shoppers to the downtown area. Over the years people from all over New England came to see the Decorated Center of Taunton.
This has continued even with other major light shows in the area such as the  lights at LaSalette Shrine and Edaville Railroad.
In the beginning it was just  Christmas trees. Over the years  it evolved to displays, some of which were motorized and moved.
One of the factors that contributed to Taunton’s reputation as the Christmas City is that prior to 1951, there was no Route 24. That meant that all the people who were traveling between Boston and Fall River would have to go through downtown Taunton when using routes 140, 44 and 138.
The 1948 display was the first to feature an illuminated sign that reads, “THE CHRISTMAS CITY,” and during that year WBZ-TV first came on the air and broadcast the lighting of the Taunton Green.
I’ve only lived in Taunton since 2006 but have embraced the city and it’s traditions. Unlike many of the other places I’ve lived, this doesn’t feel like a “stop along the way”. I feel a pride of place that I haven’t experienced except in my original hometown in New York.
Because of my work schedule I have never had a chance to attend the Lighting of the Green Ceremony and even though I have the day off this year, I will  miss it again as I have a previous commitment to a friend. But missing the festivities is really a small price as the Green will be decorated and lit throughout the Christmas Season. I will have my chance to enjoy the lights and take my photos as I have in years past and I promise you’ll see them right here.
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze
I can’t say that I’ve been to West Virginia but if singing this John Denver song counts then I’ve been many times. 🙂 I even played it in the background while I was doing my research for this post. I figured it would put me in the mood.
One of the first things I ran across was Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. Nestled in the mountains of West Virginia, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park offers excursions that transport you back in time to relive an era when steam-driven locomotives were an essential part of everyday life. Now that sounds like a top of the list experience in my book.
For a scenic drive West Virginia boasts the 43 mile long Highland Scenic Highway. This was built for the pleasure of mountain driving. The quiet two-lane highway takes you into the heart of the 919,000 acre Monongahela National Forest. On the 23 mile section known as Rt 150 there isn’t a house, business, utility pole, bill board or traffic signal! There’s no plowing in the winter so unless you plan to travel it on your snowmobile, plan a summer visit.
In Wheeling, a winter trip will land you in the middle of the Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights. A 6 mile driving tour set in a spectacular setting – a 19th century ridge top resort that was once a “Gilded-age” tycoon’s estate. The estate is now owned by the city of Wheeling and every year more than a million people  enjoy more than 5o lighted displays.
Adventurous souls should explore the New River Gorge in south-central West Virginia. Once the coal capital of the state today tourism rules the economy and the New River and nearby Gauley River have become top white water rafting destinations.
Plan your trip for October and you might see some crazy acrobatics on and off the New River Gorge Bridge. Bridge Day is the largest BASE Jumping event in the world. Every year some 450 BASE jumpers leap off the 876 ft. high bridge doing all kinds of flips and turns before deploying their single parachute.
At the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers you’ll find Harpers Ferry, the site of John Brown’s ill fated  slave rebellion. But long before this historic event, Thomas Jefferson described it as “perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature. ” Harpers Ferry is remarkably well preserved with narrow streets and a lot of history.
West Virginia is the only state completely contained in the Appalachian Mountain Range giving the state a hilly winding topography. Folks joke that if the state were pulled flat it would be bigger than the state of Texas!
Country roads, take me homeÂ
To the place I belongÂ
West Virginia, Mountain MamaÂ
Take me home, country roads
The count now stands at 20/28
And what do you know…it did! Seems like every day I have off it rains. The weather report was for rain starting Sunday and going into Monday then followed by another storm system that would roll in with more…you guessed it…rain. That would last into Tuesday with heavy downpours at times. I pleaded with the storm gods to clear out for just 1 day because I had 2 young children to take to Edaville Railroad. Tuesday was the only day that my schedule fit with the children’s mother’s schedule. Rain would make it miserable so please , please go away…if just for a day.
I met Nancy (The Mom) for lunch at noon on Tuesday. It was a light drizzle so she said it would be ok. After lunch we “sprung” the kids from school for early release and ran back to their house for coats and hats because it was bound to cool off after dark. Edaville doesn’t open until 4 pm so we stopped for a snack at McDonald’s about 3. That killed 30 minutes which had us pulling into Edaville at a few minutes past 4. Perfect and as if the storm gods had heard my plea the clouds began to clear and the sun came out if only for about 20 minutes before it set for the day.
Alex knew where we were right away. I think it took Dawn a minute or two to get orientated then it was into the park.
While we waited for it to get a little dark we explored Santa’s workshop with model trains, toysets and Santa!
The kids sat with Santa and got candy canes then it was time for the kids to ride the rides and me to try to get some holiday light pictures before full dark.
Edaville almost closed down 2 years ago but something happened and plans changed. It’s back with refurbished rides and a full schedule. Holiday-themed lights are everywhere. Lighted animal sculptures roam the savannah that the train chugs through. ( The savanna is actually a Cranberry Bog) Sometimes they use a diesel engine but tonight is was steam.
I remember coming here years ago with my family when my niece (now a mother herself) was just a few years old.
Alex, being all boy, liked the bumper cars and he was tall enough this year to drive one on his own. Dawn was very brave and rode the huge ferris wheel that is almost as old as I am! The ferris wheel was built in 1953. Edaville itself has been operating in Carver since the 1940’s with occasional stops and starts for financial reasons.
The night flew by. Before we knew it they were calling all aboard for the last train. The kids were still flying high or so we thought but not long into the ride home quiet descended in the car. The kids were asleep in the back seat. What a peaceful end to a full evening of fun!
I said I’d get there. It was just a matter of time. The weather hasn’t helped but we finally got a beautiful sunny day so when the sun set the skies were still clear. The perfect night…I thought.
I arrived at the green in the center of Taunton a little before sunset. It was definitely getting colder but you expect that after sunset.
What I didn’t expect was a 20+ degree drop in temperature in less than an hour. Cold as it was the sky was still clear so it was perfect. I began snapping away. I’d only have about an hour before I’d lose the “blue hour”. That’s the time between the afterglow from the sunset and full dark. The sky gets a deep , deep blue and the glowing lights seem to “pop”.
Mother nature isn’t making this easy for me. Now on top of the cold the wind has sprung up and not just a little breeze. The branches on the trees with their hanging lights are really blowing and swaying especially the 40 ft. Christmas tree on the corner of the Green.
The few people strolling the green departed quickly as the winds became blustery. Ready or not it was time to pack up and leave.