Melrose Victorian Fair 2011

Sunday, the Melrose Chamber of Commerce held it's annual Victorian Fair.

The City of Melrose looks forward to this event every September. This year the fair coincided

with September 11th. Red and blue canopies lined Main Street. More than 10,000

people attended the Fair.

Marcy Holbrook was the emcee for this joyful but also somber event.

The Mayor opened the fair and dedicated it to Ray Rocha, a Melrose

resident who died on 9/11. Ray was working at Cantor Fitzgeraldat the World Trade Center that fateful morning. He was a member of the Melrose High School football team and a 1990 graduate.

A scholarship was created in his name and his parents attended the dedication on Sunday.

Many of the Melrose Dance Schools took center stage during the day.

These Irish step dancers werec wonderful as were all the groups.

A Victorian couple strolled Main Street.

Artisan Marketplace was a special area just for jewelers, photographers,

painters and crafters.

The street became more and more crowded as afternoon approached.

We could not have ordered a more beautiful day.  It was sunny with

mild temperatures.

All the standard fare could be found.  Fried dough, popcorn and cotton candy were plentiful.

My bank sponsored some vintage dancers and while they waited to perform, they had a picnic.

If the dancers had not brought their own refreshments, they could have had a mini lobster roll and cup of chowder from Turner's.

More ladies in Victorian garb.  They made the bonnet the young girl was wearing.

A ballet dancer gets a last minute touchup!

A living statue stopped people in their tracks! How can she stand so still?

I think this is my favorite photo of the day.  Someone had donated a vintage child's fire truck.

The bell did work, I tested it!

And this little angel was part of a group dance.

The police chief found a new friend.  

The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers did two 20 minute sets and they were wonderful.  Their
costumes were simple but perfect for a Victorian Fair.

A tasteful celebration on a somber day. A day of remembrance where the community came together once again.. This time we celebrated all that is good in our American way of life..

Daytrip- York, Maine

On Sunday, my sister and I drove north to York, Maine to visit some friends.  Our friends always rent a cottage across from Nubble Light the last week of August and first week of September.

It was a beautiful day and we spent many hours outside just watching the waves and taking photos.

We of course had our annual group shot taken in front of Nubble Lighthouse.

Don took video and photos. We were happy as long as he didn't turn the cameras on us!

I did a lot of people watching.  This woman had a cool umbrella with daisies all over it.

There were lots of dogs there.

Lovers enjoyed the view.

More dogs walking on the rocks. I am sure they would rather be on the beach.

A lot of people were into hats too.

Could this be the makings of a Christmas Card?

Someone was feeding the gulls so they were hovering all afternoon.

Here's the cottage. I love that deck.  This is the deck where Percy was sitting when my friends arrived at the cottage last year.

And the back of the cottage.  You can see how close it is to the ocean.  Fabulous!

And you can also see how close it is to the lighthouse!

This year we were pleasantly surprised by the renovation of the kitchen.

The cottage looks so much more spacious!

Ooh, I love open shelving.  Everything looked so fresh and clean.

Don't you love the starfish hardware?

The day was ending and I used Don's tripod for this night shot.

I was waiting for the sky to change so I could photograph what I call

Nubble purple  The sky had a bit of pink in it but no Nubble purple.

So disappointing!

I consoled myself with a hot fudge sundae with peppermint stick ice cream from Brown's.  The end to a perfect day!

Percy, has it really been a year?

I can't believe it's been a year since Percy wandered into our lives. I say our lives because it was a team effort to get him to where he is today.

He was just a little tyke when I first met him at my friend's rental cottage by Nubble Light in Maine.  I remember it was exactly one year ago today.  My friends had already met him and he captured their hearts.  They were looking out for him, leaving food and water for him.  My friend Mary accidently dropped a meatball out on the deck of the cottage and Percy gobbled it up and he was nicknamed Meatball for the duration of his stay by Nubble Light.

A hurricane named Earl was predicted to bring high winds and torrential rains to the coast of Maine and none of us were going to let this little kitten stay outside in that kind of weather. So he was transported to Massachusetts to stay with me for a while.

After only two weeks, he was mixing it up with Oscar.  Oscar liked having a new playmate and so did  I.  I grew very attached and so I ended up giving hima permanent home with me and Oscar and Molly.

It certainly didn't take him long to make himself at home. His mousey was his constant friend.  He would bathe it in his water bowl and try to get me to play fetch with it.

Percy may be cute but he frustrated me plenty in those first few months.  He became a one man wrecking crew. He ruined 2 of my dining room chairs, broke countless dishes and a few teacups, tore holes in my shades.



There's Mousey with Oscar and Percy.  While Oscar sleeps, Percy plots his next attack.  He wants to play just about 24/7.

At Christmas, Percy got his very own stocking with his name embroidered on it. He really enjoyed his first Christmas.

Percy loved to watch the snow fall and we had a lot of it last Winter!

Now Summer is almost over and Percy is just about full grown or at least I hope he is!

I hope that Percy eventually gets along as well with his sister Molly as he does with his brother Oscar.

Only time will tell!

Kennebunkport continued

Two years ago, I vacationed in the Kennebunkport area.  I tried to have dinner at a restaurant called Pier 77 on a friend's recommendation but they were booked solid.  Last Thursday, I tried to eat there again.  This time I was successful.

My friend Lori Lee and I arrived there just as the sky opened up and torrential rain fell.

So no photos of a beautiful sunshiny day.

Nice decor and what a fireplace! I imagine it must be so cozy by that fireplace in the Fall.

Here's a closer look.  What beautiful inlaid tile in that mantel!

Oh right, we ate there too! After all that was the point.  We both chose to go with the special of the day, fried scallops.

And the scallops were huge! They were lightly fried, not too heavy and they were so tender and delicious.

I tried again to get a good ocean shot but the rain persisted.  In fact, right after we sat down there was a loud clap of thunder followed by a spectacular lightning bolt. If only I could have captured it with my  camera, it was all silvery with lots of tendrils.  My friend Lori Lee mentioned that she had never seen silver lightning like that! Either had I.

We finished eating and it was still so gray and wet out.

                           
Just a really dreary afternoon.  Boo hoo! I wanted to walk down by the water.

I guess I will just have to take my shots through the windows.
                               

This the bathroom at Pier 77.  After having just visited the architectural salvage place, Old House Parts in Kennebunk, I made special note of the mirror. Cute idea!

This is a little sitting area at the top of the stairs and just outside the bathrooms. I was loving that table and lamp.  So unique! It would look fantastic in my home and I'll take the chair too!


                                 
                                 
A separate room for larger groups.  I think my tea group would enjoy this.

                                
I really liked the decor at Pier 77.

And another view of that fabulous lamp and table.

One more shot of the restaurant, lunch time is over.

And one last shot of the water before we leave.  Still no sunshine but at least the torrential rain stopped.  I will definitely be back, perhaps in the Fall to sit by that cozy fireplace!