July 27-August 16                            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

 

Days of lovely cool weather and sunshine encouraged us to explore the beautiful countryside surrounding us.  The quaint historic homes, miles of stone walls and charming restaurants continue to impress us.  On one excursion, we discovered The Carriage House on the outskirts of Wickford and enjoyed a delightful dinner of Cioppino made with the freshest seafood and a delicious sauce. 

Plans to dine at some of the more renowned places near Wickford and in Newport were consistently thwarted as reservations were not available except during awkward hours.  We finally were successful in securing a 2:30 PM reservation at Matunuck Oyster Bar for the upcoming visit of our daughter, Stephanie.  She was eager to enjoy New England seafood and that place offers the best in food and casual ambiance.  Her kind of place!

Stephanie arrived in Providence at 7:30 as scheduled.  Taking a chance, we called Blu on the Water in East Greenwich and were given a reservation.  Blu is another local favorite for seafood and overlooks Greenwich Bay and a busy crowded marina.  We viewed a gorgeous sunset while we enjoyed our drinks before being seated for a great dinner of assorted seafoods.  Stephanie felt appropriately welcomed.

The following day we traveled to Narragansett to view the crowded beaches and lovely homes, then on to Galilee to see the ferries and fishing villages, and then to Matunuck for a late lunch.  Located miles from the main road with nothing around it but small weekend cottages, this restaurant is noted for its home-grown oysters and even during the pandemic last year, it remained busy.  This year, it is unbelievably popular.  At the conclusion of a delicious lunch, I teasingly asked the waitress if bribery would secure a reservation for four on August 18.  In a few moments, she returned with an available time of noon on that date (not our best choice but we were delighted).

Saturday was a good day to visit Newport.  We first visited Jamestown and laughed at the cardboard regatta boats sailing and sinking in the harbor.  As this was not her first visit, Stephanie had seen the great “summer cottages” so we made a trip on Ocean Drive and saw the beautiful home of Jay Leno, high on a rocky cliff with ocean views on three sides.  Lunch was at the historic Casino (actually a tennis and social club for the aristocratic summer visitors).  The food was mediocre at best. 

Afterwards, we enjoyed our visit to the International Tennis Hall of Fame on the second floor of the Casino.  This was a highlight.  The exhibition was exceptionally well-done with informative labels and beautiful displays.  The current emphasis was on the anniversary of nine women who joined together to form what eventually became the United States Women’s Tennis Association.  We remembered seeing them on tour at Colonial Country Club in the 1970’s.

Sunday was a day for brunch at Wickford on the Water and then shopping at our favorite place, Green Ink to see their fall clothing collection for women.  Stephanie found several items and her dad was pleased to make them a gift.  The day was hot and humid so we returned to the boat for naps and puzzles.  Dinner was on the aft deck with steamed lobsters, corn and blueberry pie. It was a perfect finale to Stephanie’s visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 19-26                               North Kingstown, Rhode Island

 

The pleasant weather has encouraged a busy boating scene and we are content to be interested spectators as the variety of watercraft passes by our aft deck.  David and I are both feeling very well but have postponed a trip on the boat until we complete several projects.

I spent considerable time dusting and re-staining the teak blinds in the salon.  They look like new!  David spent even more time adding quarter-round to the steps leading from the helm to the galley.  Years ago, when we tore up the carpet and had the steps installed, the workman was totally unreliable.  We dismissed him before the job was finished.  David used his métier box and saw to great advantage and the installation looks great.  Now the area will be stained and varnished.

Pretzel, a long-haired miniature Dachshund, was due a spa day.  We found Mini Manor Kennel about seven miles from the boat located through a maze of winding roads lined with stone walls and lovely homes.  We loved the journey as the trees were exceptionally tall and dense and the stone walls were a maze throughout the fields.  The Kennel was the only commercial building in this area and was in the process of expansion.  Pretzel had a three hour stay and was returned groomed and pretty.

During Pretzel’s spa hours, we continued south toward Point Judith and the small fishing village of Galilee.  Hundreds of cars filled the parking lots. This is the exodus port for many commercial fishing vessels as well as the ferries to Block Island.  We had lunch at George’s of Galilee, a renowned seafood restaurant next to the ferries and the lovely beach.  We enjoyed a light lunch of clams, oysters, calamari and lobster.  It was a real treat and we hope to return soon.

The beach area was crowded with folks enjoying the pleasant weather and the great view of the ocean with boats leaving and returning from the channel. Rhode Island provides many amenities at their beaches, lovely changing facilities, dining, etc., but they enforce strict regulations for maintenance and safety.  All the beaches we have seen are pristine with lifeguards on duty.

         

 

July 13-18                             North Kingstown, Rhode Island

We were delighted to have Nicole, the captain of the 70’ sailboat come onboard for Happy Hour.  Nicole is a tall, tanned beautiful woman who captains and cares for this magnificent sailboat for its owner, a prominent PI attorney in Atlanta.  He generously provides his staff vacation experiences on his yacht and Nicole orchestrates these events.

Until a few years ago, her primary profession was on the stage as a dancer.  She then became an aerial dancer (think Cirque du Soleil).  This evolved into devising a dance performance on the tall masts of sailboats!  She promised she would bring out her equipment and perform for our dock some evening before departing on her next cruise.

We engaged Bill the Diver to perform the annual cleaning of the bottom of the hull.  Barnacles attach to the props and shafts and cause real problems (as we learned last year).  In addition, he replaced the zincs (another necessity in salt water) which provides protection from galvanic corrosion (look it up).  Very, very important.  During his four-hour submersion, Bill surprised us by bringing up our dock cart, lost days ago in the high winds that swept our area.  We quickly canceled the ordered one and saved $350.00!!

Sunday was a lovely, sunny day and we drove to Hartford, Connecticut to visit the Wadsworth Athenaeum, one of the oldest art museums in the United States.  The 90-minute drive was mainly routed on state highways through small villages and towns.  Roadways in Rhode Island are banked by lush, green forests, few signs and NO litter.

The Wadsworth is housed in a mixed assortment of architectural styles (some dictated by wealthy patrons) from Gothic to Ultra-Modern.  The interior, due to recent remodeling, is striking, beautiful and offers delightful surprises throughout its maze of rooms and corridors.

From its inception in the 1830’s, the Wadsworth has benefitted from numerous and generous gifts of art and money to its endowment fund.  A $1,000,000 gift in 1928 (when $1,000,000 was REAL money) has provided the means to acquire more than 400 art objects.  J.P. Morgan, the noted financier had close familial ties to Hartford and was a major donor to the museum.

The collection is varied with exceptional displays of silver, porcelain, paintings and sculptures from medieval to modern, decorative pieces, coins, etc.  Something wonderful for everyone!! The Caravaggio painting of St. Frances is one of the finest in the United States and was the first to enter a museum collection.  Salvador Dali was given his first museum exhibition in this country by the Wadsworth and several of his works are displayed. I was surprised to see an unusually colorful painting of poppies by Van Gogh.  After three hours, we reluctantly left to make the journey back to the boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 5-July 12                      North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Monday was sunny and the boats emerged from everywhere.  We had a great view as they cruised through the channel to the bay.  Everyone was celebrating the holiday and the lovely weather!  Our neighbors on the adjacent Hatteras, John and Maria joined us for Happy Hour.  They live in Connecticut in a home with five fireplaces built in 1812.  John owns a molding business and a tooling business.  Maria is the administrator of a small private school with primarily international students.  They come to the boat on weekends and are busy repairing and redecorating.  They have three handsome sons with lovely families who are often present on their boat.

Our hallway, covered in wallpaper after we bought the boat 11 years ago,  had been sorely mistreated by workmen who left black smudges and dark stains. After considerable internet research, we determined we could paint over the wallpaper (which was not torn).  Rupe, an excellent painter, applied two coats of Behr Scuff Resistant enamel which is guaranteed to be impervious to stains.  The results were amazing and the hallway is once again pristine.

Tropical storm Elsa brought two more days of rain as it advanced along the East Coast.  On Thursday, we were told to expect more rain and considerable wind.  We had both for several hours and then the storm continued northward.  Although we have been subjected to tropical storms or hurricanes each year since owning the boat, we NEVER learned to properly prepare.  Last year, we lost a large cushion from the bow and this year we lost our dock cart which apparently blew into the water and disappeared.  Both were expensive and inconvenient mistakes.  We are definitely slow learners!

The weekend was busy.  Maria and I attended the Wickford Arts Festival, which was similar in every way to the Main Street Arts Festival in Fort Worth.  Many talented artists presented a variety of paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc.  Maria and I both bought treasures to bring back to the boat.

Saturday, we went to Providence to the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, part of Brown University.  Housed in an amazing combination of contemporary and traditional buildings, the museum’s collection is large, varied, impressive and definitely of the finest quality.  With installations of Egyptian artifacts, furniture, paintings, glassware, silverware, porcelains, textiles and much more, the museum easily kept me fascinated for almost three hours.(David sees more quicker than I do and checks information on his phone).  The RISD has benefited considerably from generous gifts of art from notable patrons such as the Rockefeller family.

The FIRST First Baptist Church in America, established in 1638 by RogerWilliams, is adjacent to the museum.  High on a hill, it is housed in a magnificent four story cream structure with Doric columns and Paladin windows and has obviously benefited from considerable care through the centuries.

Dinner was at a recommended Italian restaurant, Capricio’s, near the museum. Located in the basement of a century old building, it has brick walls that rest upon huge boulders of granite.  Once used for storage, it is now an elegant restaurant with exceptional cuisine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 21-July4               North Kingstown, Rhode Island

The weather alternated between very pleasant, hot and humid or rainy.  We enjoyed the air-conditioning and remained onboard.  David was committed to finding and repairing the annoying leak from the bridge to the aft deck which left an ugly brown stain on the ceiling. His latest effort, an elaborate series of tubes was only partially successful. 

After considerable thought, he determined there was no simple solution.  He would saw out part of the bridge wall, remove the decayed wood forming the frame, clean the area and then replace the wall opening.  A teak border would conceal the cut and look original to the boat.  With planning only slightly less than that needed for a D-Day invasion of Europe, the project was executed with the help of Rube, the brawn to David’s brain.  For several days, the aft deck was covered in debris, tools, etc. as he and Rube exhibited skill but not neatness.  A torrential rain storm was a great test for the repair.  Success!!  No leaks and no stains.

Amazon is a constant temptation. We can think it, find it, order it and receive it without the hassle of going to stores and transporting it to the boat.  All it takes is money!  Our latest acquisition is a 4” foam topper for our king-sized mattress which had lost much of its firmness.  Arriving in a box which easily fit through our narrow doors and hallway, the huge topper expanded to provide additional comfort and an imposing appearance.

    

On Saturday, June 26, I finally admitted my shortness of breath and persistent swelling required medical attention.  We went to Kent County Hospital in Warwick (about ten miles from the marina) and I stayed there until Monday evening.  Once again, I was diagnosed with congestive heart problems.  After a plethora of tests and visits from a team of cardiologists, my symptoms subsided and I was released with diet instructions and medication changes.  Although the hospital was far from plush, the care was exceptional and the doctors were caring and thorough.  I doubt the Mayo Clinic would have been better.

Beautiful flowers and numerous calls from my family, personal physician in Fort Worth and concern and care from David made my return to the boat a truly special event.  Hopefully, there will be no recurrence of any medical issues. 

                             

Persistent rain disrupted plans for the holiday weekend.  Our planned trip to the museum at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence was re-scheduled.  My new patriotic red, white and blue bunting to decorate the stern and bow of the boat was finally hung on the Fourth of July after we saw the dark clouds disappear.  The day gradually became more pleasant and we enjoyed another beautiful sunset before going up to the bridge to witness fireworks from the beach nearby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 14-June 20           North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Boston friends, Jill and Jerry, who share with us great memories of boating at Southwest Harbor, Maine, battled heavy traffic to come for a visit and early dinner.  We seldom see them but stay in touch throughout the year and easily resume conversation when we are together.  They are the best of friends.

After a snack on the boat and time for Jill to give Pretzel much tender love and attention, we left for East Warwick and Chielo’s Waterfront Restaurant.  The place was enormous with a huge lawn filled with tables overlooking the massive marina.  As the weather was exceptionally pleasant, it was packed with a happy crowd experiencing post-pandemic euphoria.

Cool, sunny weather continued throughout the week and we felt guilty (only a little!) reading the reports of extreme heat in Texas and the western states.  Office and boat projects occupied several days but we could bear it no longer and planned a driving trip across the bay to several historical scenic communities.  Pretzel, wearing a bark collar, would go with us.  Her manners have greatly improved and she is miserable being away from us.

Bristol, Rhode Island has a deep harbor and was once a major shipbuilding center.  It obviously had considerable wealth because interspersed with colonial structures are some magnificent mansions built by nineteenth century entrepreneurs.  The population of Bristol is small but they have preserved blocks and blocks of beautiful homes and businesses in charming, flower-bedecked buildings.

Quito’s (it’s Portuguese, not Mexican) is a local favorite seafood restaurant located on the bay next to a lovely little park.  We were seated on the patio with a great view.  Pretzel was admitted without difficulty and remained at David’s feet throughout lunch.  The menu was the best of any seafood restaurant we have experienced in this area and our food was excellent.  We hope to return with Jill and Jerry.

                                        

Warren is adjacent to Bristol and displays much of the same charm and historical significance.  Large farms are present throughout the area and roadside markets are frequent with bins laden with locally-grown produce.

Father’s Day was incredibly beautiful with 80-degree weather and little wind. I spent most of the afternoon on the aft deck watching a continuous parade of boats returning to the marinas or the town dock at Wickford.  Numerous restaurants attract boaters who enjoy visiting on their boats.  David was pleased to receive many calls and messages acknowledging his status as familial patriarch!

    

 

 

 June 2-June 13                North Kingstown, Rhode Islaned

This year we are docked second from the end facing the bay.  This was our choice as we have a great view of the boating scene and the lovely homes on the opposite shore.  Next to us and adjacent to the bay is a 65’ Hatteras motoryacht which sold two years ago, moved to Portland, Maine and has now sold again and returned to Wickford Shipyard.  The new owners are friendly and interesting folks who live about an hour away in Connecticut. 

On the starboard side of our slip is a space periodically leased by Jim Armante, whom we met last year.  Jim has a 75’ tug-like boat which is used to bring large ships into port.  Although it is a working boat, it is always clean and polished to look almost new.  Jim is a delightful fellow and we look forward to visiting more with him this year.

David quickly recovered his enthusiasm for grocery shopping and returned almost daily to the wonderful market here in Wickford.  We are well stocked and eating on the boat is preferable most of the time to eating out.  Fresh seafood is readily available and easy to prepare.

We will probably remain at Wickford for several more weeks.  We are content to finish projects (David) and read and do needlepoint (Wanda).  A long overdue reading choice was “The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton.  This book is often mentioned by other authors who find her descriptions of life and customs of the New York City wealthy social set to be fascinating. 

I agreed and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  Needlepoint is progressing.  I finally finished a pillow with a difficult design and have happily begun another simpler project.

Rhode Island is a botanical treat with the magnificent rhododendrons and colorful lilies.  We made several drives to see the lovely yards filled with flowering shrubs and tall beech trees with their dark purple foliage.  Stone walls border the fields and yards adding a special charm to the scene.