MV~an Island Visit

 We had one day to do as we pleased, 
and top on my list was spending time at Tashmoo.

Originally, Tashmoo was a contained lake, fed from a natural spring. 

Like so many of the lakes on this island, it tore open in big storms

 and connected to the ocean for a period of time.

In the 1800s, a big storm again tore an opening through the bordering sandbank

 and opened the lake up to the ocean, in a big way. 

  The opening proved profitable for shellfish and fish, 

plus it created another protected port for recreational and commercial fishing boats. 

With that observation, the Vineyard Haven town,

 decided to keep the lake open to the sea.

 Our family loves the quiet secluded nature of Tashmoo. 

Many times you can be the only people on the beach, 

which is amazing on this island which is a tourist destination.

 Mr. MD, Colin and Scott are going to take a swim in a deep swimming hole. 

 While they were swimming, I was happily taking pictures.

 I then remembered that my blog friend Nita wanted a shell collection,

 but living in Oklahoma City, that is hard to come by. 

However, this New England beach is mostly tiny rocks, 

with few shells to be found, other than

the quohaugs and clam shells and some 

common variety of a shell that seemed to be the only shell there.

I wanted to try and get some shells for Nita.

Happy to say, I searched the beach with Scott

 and we came up with a pretty good assortment.

We found some scallop shells and a horseshoe crab skeleton, 

and a bunch of other shells too.

So these will be off to Nita in Oklahoma City as soon as I get back. 

Hey Nita, I am even sending you some Martha's Vineyard dried seaweed~

 Original little sea shacks still dot the edge of Tashmoo,

 but each year that we return we see more construction 

of families fixing up these shacks to cottages or large homes.

 The guys enjoyed their swim. 

We were going to pack up and head out~

wait till you see how you have to get to this beach...

and it is the reason it remains so secluded.

Oh, before we leave, here is Diane Sawyer's pad...

she bought it in 1995 for 5.3 million, setting a record.

She has 17.5 acres on her compound, 

and it is set right at the entrance of the ocean to Tashmoo lake, 

so she has views on both sides of the house. 

 We were traveling in the old jeep we borrowed from my Dad...
the old 4 wheelers are perfect for this trip.

The first part of the  road is all sandy dirt.

Then you drive over a mile through the forest with 

deep gullies and ancient trees lining the path.

All part of the Tashmoo adventure!
I have been coming here since I was a kid, and it is still so fun
driving through these woods.

 Its me again, in my beach hat and 

goofy clip-on sunglasses taking pics of everything we do.
Before you know it, you are out in civilization again.

 Picture perfect American homes dot this island everywhere...

This house was in Vineyard haven on the ride home.
Note: after I posted I got a note from a reader, Kat,
 who informed me that this house belongs to 
Susan Branch, an illustrator, author, and blogger!
You can see her blog here.

Lots of stone walls with smaller stones can be found here too. 

They are very charming...

and look what is gathered under this porch bush.

Chickens and a Rooster, just hanging out.

 Not an uncommon sight when driving along the cute streets here.

We were headed in search of an ice cream cone at famous Mad Martha's.

 Then we took a stroll and walked around enjoying the last days of summer.

 We walked around the harbour at Oak Bluffs.

Mr. MD is a policeman, and I couldn't resist asking him to pose.

(He really wants to be a cowboy though)

 We strolled through the little gingerbread cottage neighborhood,

 located right in the middle of town.

 Many of these cottages are for rent by the week.

Most are  heavily ornamented with frosting like trim, 

called gingerbread, and then painted in fun colors.

 A great looking screen door in periwinkle blue.

 Loved this porch with the pretty purple hydrangea fabric on the rockers.

A sweetly painted gothic window. 

These cottages were all built by Methodist settlers back in the 1800s, 

and 300 cottages remain today. It is a popular destination on the island.

 Well the hubs and I had a grand time on our quickie trip to Martha's Vineyard.

And this was as close to Obama as we got.
Hurricane Irene is now headed up the east coast, so we
all got on the ferry and have departed the island...

Wishing everyone safe times ahead on the East coast during the storm.

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Obama effect on Martha's Vineyard

The leader of the free world just happens to be staying where Mr. MD 
and I were headed to pick up my 19 year old son Colin.
 His summer job has ended and he is headed back to school.

So we booked a ferry trip and signs of Obama 
were evident as soon as we got in line.

A bomb sniffing dog checked out our truck and all the 
cars and trucks waiting to board the 2:30 boat.

Inside the ferry, we were at the head of the line with a nice waterview,

 when I spotted out in the water....something unusual.

A Coast Guard boat with a machine gun mounted on its bow.

In all my many travels, I have never seen this before.

Such a gorgeous day to travel to the island.

One of those perfect summer days..

 A pair of armed escorts travelled with us to the pretty little island.

Martha's Vineyard is about an hour and half drive from Boston, 

and then a 45 minute ferry ride.

My parents have lived here for 30 years, 

and before that dragged us 5 kids along for summer vacations.

As soon as we got to my parents house,

 we headed over to see Colin at his summer job~a garden center.

 He was on his last day and we were very happy to see him!

 It is the first summer I have spent without him, and I missed him a lot.

 He is one of those cheerful pleasant sorts,

 and his positive energy is a blessing to be around.

We posed for a photo in front of the 

new variety of hydrangea called Vanilla Strawberry !

 It is supposed to be spectacular, 

with flowers ranging from white to hot pink as time goes on.

Then I grabbed a pic with my mom...

isn't she cute and all islandy looking?

She is the current club champ for golf at Farm Neck golf club.

 So proud of you mom!

While I am sharing family photos, here is one of my mom and dad. 

They were picking out a butterfly bush and a blue rose of sharon

 for their garden and happy to get Colin's discount on his last day of employment!

 My dad is seeing what the heck this giant pink flower is...

 I think it is something right of Alice in Wonderland.

Cute little out building with an iron squirrel.

Even though I detest squirrels in my own garden, this one is cute.

 The fabulous Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea!

 I love walking around garden centers, 

and this one on the island is so great.

Le Jardin Mahoneys~oh, its French! No wonder I like it!

Drifts of impatience and begonias around large New England hunks of granite.

So that was my first hour on the vineyard~seeing my son

 and walking through the garden center.

We will be hitting Tashmoo today,

 which is a nice little "lake" that is a slice of heaven.

We have to drive through brush and back dirt roads 

and when you pop out at the beach 

there is nothing like it! Kid's author Judy Blume and

 ABC's Diane Sawyer have homes on this lake.

Diane bought her house from actress Lillian Helman and set an island record

for purchase price on island real estate. 

The double white chimneys really stand out when I sit on the opposite side

of her house on the beach. 

I hope to share its beauty with you later~

I will have my camera in hand...

and maybe I will even get to snap the President!

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