Sure Signs that the Year is Waning - In Spite of the Weather

Summer’s end and Autumn’s arrival in years past used to be such a specific period of time. For one thing, it actually slowly but consistently got chillier and chillier until the one traded in tee shirts and sandals for sweaters and boots.  The chill in the air complimented the crunch of fallen leaves, the sound of leaves being raked and a smell that was unique to the season. Not so much these days.  More often than not, you might still seriously being considered wearing shorts on Columbus Day even though you live in Boston! Instead, now we look more to events that remind us that it is THAT time of year. You know - school begins and we prepare for the the Autumn and Winter holidays leading to the inevitable end of another year.  Well, here are 4 other ways, you’ll certainly know that the Summer to Autumn transition is under way.  

1 - MAINE - For the Kaufman’s summer’s winding down means escaping to Maine on Blue Chip - pictured in the upper right photo. Boating through mountains, waiting for light to break through fog and anchoring out (aka “swinging on the hook”) to indulge in some of the most amazing sunsets you’ll ever experience in this lifetime. Lobsters were available in abundance this year - unusually tender and sweet.  And then there were maverick crustaceans swinging on barber shop poles! One note - Booth Bay Harbour has sadly succumbed to tee shirts and fudge shops, so if your in the area, give Rockland or Camden a try. Further east you’ll find Little Cranberry Island, which is pure heaven for wandering and a meal at The Islesford Dock. If you stop in Portland, seek out Ramblers Way. Tom Chappell, of Tom’s of Maine fame, has established a clothing line of beautifully designed, very light weight, fashionable, packable washable wool. Not finding in the US, the high quality wool needed, he also bought a sheep farm in southwest Maine to breed Rambouillet. Stop by the store.  The tall man with thick white hair, his wife Kate or one of his daughters will likely be there.  Delightful - both the family and the clothing. 

2- JARCZYNSKI  POST LABOR DAY WEEKEND ON LBI - For years the Jarczynski cousins have gathered on Long Beach Island the weekend AFTER Labor Day.  Sure, decades ago Karen’s annual extended family met the Saturday after Christmas, and you had better have been there or risk hearing about it for the rest of your days! But the numbers have swelled with four generations including cousins, their children and now grandchildren (the term “cousin” is used VERY loosely in the Jarczynski clan) so that a beach weekend lets us all really spread out. I’m not truly sure how many people actually make up the Jarczynski clan. But I can tell you that if you live in the US and the name Jarczynski is in your family tree, there’s about an 80% chance we’re related. Get in touch and make your way to LBI. There’s always room for one more! 

 Do you know about LBI? It is an 18 mile long barrier island that is a half-mile at its widest point; located 24 miles north of Atlantic City and 101 miles south of NYC. The island has been continuously settled since 1690. In the early years it was known for hunting, whaling and shipping.  Tourism became increasingly important as early as the early as the 1800’s and a bridge was built across Barnegat Bay. A shark attack in Beach Haven unfortunately killed a student in 1916, inspiring the book and movie Jaws.  (Yes, the movie that kept you out of the water for an entire summer when it came out in 1975). Today fishing and tourism are both the Island’s mainstays.  You will find all of the charm you could want, without all the fuss - a fact of pride for those that call LBI home - and for those of us that look forward to a visit.  Try the cash only Hudson House in Beach Haven. It has been here, well, since forever. The proprietors don’t waste money on paint for this dive bar, yet it has LOTS of atmosphere - perfect if you like a juke box, darts, pool and shuffleboard. Dress code is everything from sequins to cutoffs, evidence that everyone is welcome here! 

3- RED SOX - CLOSING HOME GAME - Baseball at Fenway is truly one of the things that define the city.  Okay, so you may have heard that after winning the World Series last year, we didn’t make it quite that far this year.  However - you would have never known it by the continued sold out stadium throughout the 2019 season. (Bostonians puzzle when they watch baseball on  TV and see half empty stadiums.) Last home game of the season is all hands on deck for the Sox faithful, no matter how young or old. Standing to sing Sweet Caroline at the top of our lungs during the middle of the eight inning is only made sweeter when the boys win with a walk off home run!  See you at Fenway next year!

4- PUMPKINS AND GOURDS OF ALL KINDS - If all else fails, look to see what’s gracing people’s steps, lawns and tables in Boston.  This year, the drama of white and black pumpkins are creating dynamic statements in Boston’s Back Bay.  Then there’s the Glass Pumpkin Patch at MIT, created to raise funds to support MIT’s Glass Lab.  This year, these brightly striped gourds by Olivia Cheo truly stood out.  Missed the glass pumpkins, try the farmers market at Copley Square for a little Autumn inspiration!  

Certainly any of the above heralds the end of Summer and the beginning of Autumn, even if we haven’t quite put our tee shirts away.  We’re gearing up for the beginning of a new year,  which is coming much to quickly.   More soon!