vacation in rockport, mass

 

 

 

we just got back from a beach vacation in rockport, massachusetts. we stayed in a house overlooking back beach and during high tide we could hear the shifting sound of the rocks from the enormous strength of the waves. my parents rent the house and arrive a couple of days before to make it look summery. white quilts over the scratchy couches, old family photos from summer memories  put out, white linens and old patchwork quilts put on all the beds, colorful beach towels hanging on hooks, new design magazines, finds from local thrift stores, mixed in, and a stocked refrigerator with fruit, lots of cocktail fixings and good cheeses. they put forth so much effort and we so appreciate it because it feels like you are entering a summer cottage that gives you a big smooch on the lips and whispers in your ear, "relax, relax you have no worries here' as soon as you arrive.

i have been to rockport almost every summer since i was born and my parents have been coming for over 40 years. josh and i got married there so it holds a very meaningful place in my heart. no traffic lights, art galleries everywhere because there are so many beautiful places to paint, antique shops, the smell of the salt water, a laid back vibe, but with the culture and feel of a european coastal village.

here's a summary of my favorite things from the trip. drinking coffee in the a.m. while looking out on the sparkling water (like edward cullen's vampire skin in the sunlight), walks on bearskin neck, discovering new painters and checking out art galleries, eating lobster and fresh seafood, the rockport art association where josh and i had our wedding reception, the girls pretending to paint a sculpture with their watercolor painting sets, the unitarian church summer fair and sale, toad hall book store, john tarr store, lula's pantry, thistle hill reading priceless: how i went undercover to recover the world's stolen treasures by, robert wittman +john shiffman, visiting with stephanie, bryan and the triplets, early mornings at the beach, finding hermit crabs, my dad looking in tide pools with the girls just like he did with me, seeing a baby seal on back beach, strong coffee, cocktails with lots of freshly squeezed lime juice, the stock exchange and used book store (manchester by the book) in manchester-by-the-sea,  visiting the gloucester maritime heritage center and seeing the girls love the baby lobsters, playing paddle ball at low tide on the beach, matt, briana and john coming on the weekend, the hammock, scattergories, bananagrams, grindy, blueberry popsicles, coconut ice cream dipped in chocolate from long beach dairy maid, rob, joannie, max and laura come to visit, topsiders, 4th of july celebration, made strawberry rhubarb crumble, briana's family comes to visit, rockport fireman's parade, getting caught in the rain and the girls loved it, the bonfire, fireworks and karoline insisting she had to have one last dance before going to bed.

 hope you all had an awesome fourth and wishing you a relaxing summer!!