AUGUST 19-30                       North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Our sixty-nineth wedding anniversary was on August 20.  We always enjoy having a special celebration of this significant event in our lives.  This year, David took charge and booked a night at the Castle Hill Inn in Newport with a six-course prix fixe dinner in their lovely dining room.    We arrived early and had a light lunch on the patio overlooking Narragansett Bay.  Our dinner was excellent and service was the best ever—very attentive and personal.  It was as lovely evening. 

On Saturday, Julie and Greg Galier, cousins from Dallas, arrived at the train station in Kingston, a twenty-minute drive from Wickford.  Once again, they had accompanied their son, Tripp to Seton Hall University in New Jersey where he would start his sophomore year.  We greeted them on the boat with shucked oysters and lobster rolls. 

Sunday was a good day to show them the fabulous Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth.  We then returned to Newport and they toured the Breakers Mansion.  We enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner on the patio at Castle Hill Inn.  Greg raved about the Bronzino (and we all agreed!) which was exceptional.  We returned to the boat for blueberry pie and ice cream. 

They returned to Newport for shopping and sightseeing on Monday.  We remained onboard to finish projects and then we joined them for a lovely dinner on the deck at Blu on the Water in East Greenwich.  With cool weather and a full moon, it was an opportunity to acknowledge a special relationship with two wonderful people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 2-AUGUST 18        NORTH KINGSTOWN, RHODE ISLAND

We have experienced considerable rain in the past two weeks so the exterior of the boat has remained very clean.  I have continued to work on making a catalog of David’s Southwestern Indian pottery collection.  David began collecting in the 1960’s and has continued to date.  It is a small but select assortment of Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, and Acoma pots, bowls and vases.  I hope to have my part of the project completed before we return home in October.

On August 16, we journeyed by car to New Haven, Connecticut to visit the Yale Art Gallery.  We left Pretzel on the boat.  The trip took only about one and one-half hours, mostly by I-95.  Traffic was moderate and we enjoyed being out of the boat. 

Yale has the oldest college art collection in the United States and has benefited significantly from generations of generous donors (mostly prominent alumni).  Housed in a Modernist building designed by Louis Kahn and opened in 1965, it has expanded the collection considerably through the years.  Unlike the Kimbell Museum which has retained Kahn’s original design, Yale has modified the interior of the galleries and extended access into an older structure.  The renowned tetrahedral ceiling is still intact and the museum benefits from the intimacy it provides.

I have enjoyed reading A History of the Yale Art Museum book purchased as I was leaving and was surprised to learn their exceptional collection of Modern Art was primarily a gift of Katherine Dreier, a friend of Marcel Duchamp, Gertrude Stein and many early Twentieth Century artists.  Her photograph depicts a dowdy, little lady in sensible shoes who could have been a Baptist Sunday School teacher in the 1940’s.  At one time, she owned a collection rivaled only by MOMA and the Gugenheim Museum.  Yale was the fortunate beneficiary of her largess.  It was delightful to view the galleries devoted to her collection and other donors of Modern Art.

After a delicious lunch (mushroom and chicken pappardelle, grilled octopus with avocado and pear arugula salads) at Harvest Restaurant across the street, we took a short tour of the campus before returning to Wickford.  Our plans to visit the Yale Center for British Art were changed due to its temporary closure.  Just as well, as we needed to return before dark. 

As a teaser for those of you who love art, I am including some photographs of my favorites.  In order, the artists are:  Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Porcelain,  Diego Velasquez, Franz Hals, Franz Hals, Sandro Botticelli, Fernand Leger, Hans Hoffman, Edward Hopper, and Amadeo Modigliani.

 

 

 

 

July 21-August 2                     North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Warm, sultry weather impeded our progress as we prepared for the visit of The Sisters, Stephanie Usher, Cindy Barnes, Lyn Potter, Sharon Arnold and Pinki Meals.  With Rupe’s absence due to a family tragedy in Honduras, David and I slowly and methodically completed projects to make the boat a welcoming destination.

On Thursday, July 27, our guests, minus Pinki who was fighting a respiratory problem, arrived in Boston, took the train to Wickford Station and were met by David.  Life was very exciting after that!  Within a few hours, a lovely rainstorm brought cool weather which remained throughout their visit.  We sat on the aft deck, ate lobster rolls and played the card game Five Crowns until midnight.

The Sisters took our car for a day of exploring in Newport while David and I remained on the boat to make a curtain for the aft deck.  They spent several hours marveling at the extravagance of the Breakers, the jewel of Newport’s mansions, ate a delicious lunch and did some major shopping.  Dinner was at Blu on the Water in East Greenwich followed by more hours of Five Crowns.

Wickford Village was their destination on Saturday to see the historical homes and visit the quaint shops.  They returned early to the boat for a light lunch and naps, exhausted from walking and talking.  Dinner was at Tavern on the Sea in Wickford.  The Sisters were easily recognized as a unique group by the large red crab or lobster headdresses they wore everywhere.  A little girl at the restaurant was enthralled by the decorations and Stephanie gave her the one she wore.  The expression of absolute delight from that sweet child made our evening!  She politely inquired if she could wear it home and was ecstatic when told she could.

Their busy visit continued Sunday when they left the boat with David to board the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.  They shopped, ate lunch and then enjoyed a private tour of the island with a narration of history, geography and gossip.  Dinner was on the boat with grilled salmon steaks. 

We reluctantly took them to the train station on Monday morning for their return flight.  We loved having them visit and were overwhelmed by their generosity (lovely gifts every day) and thoughtfulness.  Each Sister is unique and special which has undoubtedly contributed to their long-standing and close friendship.