Applause Please

The blog would like to begin with a thank you to the parents of the young person who revved his car engine from 12:45 to 1:15 am last night in the Lighthouse Park lot.  We would especially like to thank you for not seeking a husband or a wife outside of your own family.  After about two minutes I had figured out that the engine would make that noise when I pressed the pedal down - I was three at the time. It took the genius parked out side last night thirty minutes before he figured it out and by then I was awake.

The big news this weekend is that there is no news. The weekends that follow are full up with a Society sponsored Touch a Boat exhibition on July 6 and the first open house following on July 14.  For more information on the Touch a Boat opportunity, contact the Scituate Historical Society at 781-545-1083.

A project a long time in the making is coming to fruition.  Richard Wainwright's The Tale of the Scituate Lightkeeper's Daughter is arriving today.  A reception will be held on Wednesday July 17th and on Thursday July 18th at the Barker Tavern beginning at 6:30 each evening.


 Richard will speak on writing and particularly on this brilliantly produced book, full of amazing photographs (if I am allowed) of Cedar Point.  The title character is a kid I know.  You will want to join us at the Barker and take one of these books (or several) home with you. Call and get your reservations right now!

Field trip season is past us.  More than 300 third graders and their parent chaperons visited the Lighthouse in early June.  Their interest is an inspiration.  The day that I happened to be here I was equally impressed by how well behaved they all were.

Bids have been accepted to have the Cottage painted.  With luck the old place will get the make up touched up to hide some wrinkles once again.  Bids have also been accepted to rebuild the seawall in front of the Tower.  No word yet on when that project will get underway but this quarter wants as much done before August 15 and the hurricane season kick off.

The gardens are looking great and I will add some shots of them in a revision to this post later on today.

The Skinny

Got the place back up and running just as we welcome the 200th anniversary of the Shannon and Chesapeake battle ceremony here on Saturday at 11:30.

Remember this mess.

Now the scene looks like this.

 The neighbors got together as they do each Memorial Day and brought in some annuals to complement the perennials that survived the winter.  I split a few things from the garden by the house and from the garden at the Maritime Museum and voila - we have healthy and vibrant gardens once again.   Thanks go out to Northern Oak Landscaping for the help cleaning up and for the mulch.  The daisies are going to be spectacular in the fall.

Something that I have neglected to share fell into our laps here on a Saturday morning. This sign was out at the end of the big jetty for 12 years and I managed to snag it and its brothers as the Coast Guard swapped them out for new ones.  It looks like it has been on the house forever.

Field trips are about to roll in here in force.  Groups from the elementary schools in town and groups from other communities will be coming by to get the lessons of the place.  I hope to send each of them home with a card announcing the Tale of the Scituate Lightkeeper's Daughter.  A finished copy has arrived from the publisher and from author Richard Wainwright.  It is truly beautiful and tells a wonderful story of history shared.  The next blog will be all about that project and why you will want to track down a copy of this treasure about a treasure.

Following the ceremony here on Saturday, a plaque will be placed on the walkway in front of the Light describing the significance of the battle and the battle cry, "Don't Give Up the Ship."  As I notice people reading the Etrusco plaque or the Bates Family plaque or the Army of Two plaque each day, I was quite pleased that this idea was adopted and that the lessons here are increased.  Good stuff.  Be on the look out for it.

A virtual hurricane wind descended here on the weekend. Plants blew around; pictures fell off the wall; books tipped over like the senior class at the old Peggotty Beach graduation parties.  The screen door that is used most often was in rough shape from the winter storms and I took the time in the gale to pull it off and get it right on new hinges. I tightened up the spring  and that entrance is ready to battle any breeze now.  My next challenge is to replace the insulation that got soaked when the pipes burst in February.

If you haven't visited the Facebook page yet - find your way there.  If you haven't visited the new web site for the Scituate Historical Society, you will want to do that too.  The photograph galleries for each site are greatly improved and there is an online store eager for some attention.