Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2004. Peter's maternal grandmother was in the hospital in Connecticut and we drove up to visit with her. Gladys LOVED food and we packed all sorts of goodies to share with her when we got there. Of course I also packed a bag of tricks to keep Mattie occupied while in Gladys' room. Gladys was into her family and I have no doubt seeing Mattie's energy and getting to know him made her day a little brighter. 


Quote of the day: A character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you, and were helped by you, will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. ~ Charles Hadden Spurgeon

Peter and I are in Boston visiting his parents. When we landed at Logan Airport we stopped at Legal Seafood for lunch. This is a restaurant I always loved when I lived in Boston. Their fish is very fresh and the service is always professional. When in New England, a lobster roll seems like a must. 

When we arrived at Peter's parents' home, we were greeted by this beautiful wild turkey. This turkey has been with them since the Fall and he has been given the name, Bok Bok, since this is the sound he makes

I am not sure you can see this, but this is meeting of the minds... turkey versus cat. The cat is on the lower right, and he is black and white, and the turkey is walking down the steps on the left. Interestingly enough these two animals seem to tolerate yet are intrigued by one other. 

We visited the Brooks Estate today in Medford, MA. It was the perfect weather day to tour around..... beautifully sunny with low humidity. 

Shepherd Brooks was born in 1837. With the premature death of his father, he inherited significant assets before his graduation with an architect's degree from Harvard in 1857. He married Clara Gardner, niece of Isabella Stewart Gardner, in 1872, and the couple had three children, Helen, Gorham, and Rachel.

The design of his summer estate was a large part of Shepherd's life work. With a background in architecture and agriculture, he set out to re-shape his farm. The Shepherd Brooks Manor is in the Queen Anne style, characterized by eclecticism and asymmetry, elements of classical architecture, complex interlocking forms, a steep, pitched roof, and detailed chimneys. The primary exterior material is red brick, with brownstone sills and trim. The house has a granite foundation (with stones recycled from the Middlesex Canal) and a "Rutland Red" slate roof with copper flashing. The windows and cornices/trim were originally painted a deep green, as are the restored windows and shutters.

The house is organized around a large central hall that runs the length of the house, separating an elegant parlor and library on one side and an office and dining room on the other. A beautiful carved butternut staircase dominates the hall.

With over 50 acres of protected open space, the Brooks Estate is an environmental asset and historic landscape of great value to human visitors and wildlife alike.

Graced by a rolling, ascending topography, the property features Brooks Pond (ca. 9 acres), wetlands (ca. 21 acres), forest (ca. 25 acres) and the core historic landscape (about 5 acres).

This is a glaciated landscape with kettle holes, erratics and prominent ledge. The forest is primarily oak and maple, with numerous large trees planted by the Brooks family. The Pond, hand-dug in the 1880's from an existing marsh, anchors the Estate to the south.

A fun fact...... there are 65 to 70 species of birds that visit or live at the Brooks Estate each year. 

The Estate has been in great disrepair, but it is under a major three year renovation. Look at this beautiful terracotta that has been revealed on the veranda! 

I am signing off for tonight, but stay tuned for more Boston adventures!