Please come to Boston

Posted on April 21, 2017April 20, 2017 by Dusty Roads

Please come to Boston for the Springtime

That’s the first line of a Dave Loggins song. I can’t help but think that its a fitting intro to today post. I want to tell you about Boston in the springtime. My visit to Boston last Saturday was to celebrate the opening day of the Swan Boats. We’ve had such horrible weather lately but Saturday shook it off and was a perfect spring day.

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Swan Boats in the Public Gardens

After taking my time wandering down from the Park St T station I arrived at the Public Garden Lagoon. The Swan Boats were doing a brisk business. I sat down near the loading dock to watch the activity and for the first time I noticed a sign that read Swan Boats since 1877. That’s a pretty extraordinary track record. But that wasn’t the only big achievement.

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It’s a Man’s World

One year after the Boston Swan Boats are founded by Robert Paget in 1877, he passes away. Robert was only 42 at the time of his death and he left his young widow, Julia, and four children. Julia must have been a very determined woman because business women were very rare in those days. So rare in fact that for many years she had to collect signatures from local business men attesting to her ability to run her business.

Two Swan Boats 2017

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In 1914 Julia’s youngest son John assumed the helm of the business.

The Paget Legacy

John introduced the larger boats that cruise the lagoon today. Each boat has 5 benches allowing more passengers than the smaller 3 bench boats. The current fleet consists of six boats, the oldest of which was built under John in 1910. In 1952 John passed the reins to his son Paul.

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Paul ran the company through the 50’s – 90’s. Today a 4th generation of Pagets preserve this beloved Boston Tradition.

Through the Years

There have been many events to mark the storied history of the Swan Boats.

1977 marked the 100th anniversary.
2002 First ever Swan Boat crew reunion hosted for employees from the 1950’s through 2002.
2008 Paul Paget drives a Swan Boat at age 86
2011 Designated Boston landmark

Today the future looks bright if the crowds lining up is any indication. Somehow I can’t imagine the Public Garden Lagoon without the Swan Boats circling duck island on a beautiful, spring day.

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2017 Season
Saturday, April 15 to Sunday, September 17, 2017

What to Do, What to Do?

Posted on February 23, 2017February 23, 2017 by Dusty Roads | 2 Comments

Now that my globetrotting is temporarily on hold the age old question rears it’s ugly head. What am I going to talk about until my next trip (which isn’t until June by the way)?

If I were on a TV show you’d get to watch reruns for the next couple of months and I may dip into some of my older posts to share but I don’t plan to do that every day.

In hopes of finding topics I googled the Top 10 things to do in Boston. If the weather holds out maybe I can try to cover some of those.

According to Trip Adviser the number 1 thing to do is visit Fenway Park. That won’t work. The Sox are in Fort Myers Fl. for spring training.

#2. Is a visit to the Museum of Fine Art.

Well, I’ve been there and it is beautiful. I attended the special exhibit for the glass blowing artist, Dale Chihuly.

Chihuly

His work is amazing!

Chihuly

I also love the statue out front. Appeal to the Great Spirit.

Appeal to the Great Spirit at the MFA

#3. The Freedom Trail.

Get out your walking shoes because if you want to walk the whole thing it will take you awhile. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) path through downtown Boston that passes by 16 locations significant to the history of the United States. Marked largely with brick, it winds between Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Of course while you are at the Bunker Hill Monument you’ll want to climb the 294 steps to the top for views of the Boston Harbor. Bunker Hill Monument is a National Historical Park.

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#4. Boston Public Garden

This is one of my favorite places in Boston but not in February. In the spring there are flowers everywhere.

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Swan boats cruise the little lagoon and there’s always the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture. Of course in the winter there’s skating on the Frog Pond but it’s been so warm I bet all of the ice has melted.

#5, Boston Common

I really don’t distinguish between the Boston Common and The Public Garden. They are all sort of one big park.

According to Wikipedia they are a pair of public parks in Boston. I’m sure my friend Joe would be quick to point out the differences to me. He is far more of a “Bostonian” than I am even though he’s lived in the south a number of years now.

Well that’s about all I have time for in this post. I guess we’ll have to finish off the last 5 another time.

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So Wassup?

Posted on May 15, 2016May 15, 2016 by Dusty Roads

Wow, Things aren’t letting up at all. Last weekend I stole an hour or two to head out with the camera. Still trying to get the hang of this “Raw” stuff. I got a few practice shots but I just wasn’t feeling inspired.

Museum of Natural History, Providence RI

Just a day on a Swan

Then Sunday, Mother’s Day I left Taunton early in the morning to drive to upstate NY to take my mother out for lunch. I can’t tell you how old she is. I am sworn to secrecy but if I have her genes I’ll be around for a long time. My sister went with us to the 99 restaurant where we enjoyed a very pleasant lunch. I was back home by 8 pm.

During the week I confirmed my Maine trip in July with the Audubon Society and started doing the preliminary research for the Maui vacation in November. Then Saturday dawned sunny and warm. The first really awesome day we’ve had in forever!

I had an appointment for an oil change at 10 am. From there I planned to go to the Norton Reservoir where I’d spotted a family of Swans to see if I could get some fun pictures of the cygnets.

I picked up my car after the oil change and headed up RT 44. At the first set of lights the car stalled out! Strange it was running fine when I dropped it off. I started it up and off I went again. A bit farther down the road I got a text message and pulled off into a Dunkin Donuts to reply. Stalled again. What’s going on?

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The last straw was as I pulled up to the reservoir. The engine started shaking and there was a squeeking, clanging kind of sound so I pulled into the parking lot for Norton Liquors and called the service station. They agreed to send a tow truck. While I waited I took a few pictures of the adult swan and the babies.

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Swan Mom-a

Swan Family 2=a

Hurry Up.

Once back at the shop we checked the oil and it was clearly fresh and full. After a diagnostic and multiple mechanics looking it over the car was pronounced in dire shape.

It still turned over so they didn’t pronounce it dead but the prognosis was grim.The “lifters” inside the engine were done for. I needed to either replace or rebuild the engine.

It was time to go car shopping.