tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43475971782473429002024-03-12T19:43:02.594-07:00The Bridgewaters ProjectYearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-54897532345062103182023-08-17T05:37:00.002-07:002023-08-17T14:20:16.226-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest -- Boston Strangler<p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I discuss in two earlier posts -- <b><a href="https://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2009/12/bridgewater-statewhat.html" target="_blank">Bridgewater State ... What?</a></b> (2009) and <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062374/" target="_blank">The Other Bridgewater State</a></b> (2010) -- one of the first things I learned about our town was that it had once housed Albert DeSalvo, better known as the Boston Strangler.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So when I heard that local journalist <b><a href="https://www.wbur.org/inside/staff/tiziana-dearing">Tiziana Dearing</a></b> was going to be discussing <b><a href="https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/03/17/massachusetts-truecrime-movie-review-filmmaker-investigation-coldcase" target="_blank">a new film about the Boston Strangler</a></b>, my first thought was to wonder whether the film would feature Bridgewater. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The <b><a href="https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/03/17/massachusetts-truecrime-movie-review-filmmaker-investigation-coldcase" target="_blank">18-minute <i>Radio Boston</i> segment</a></b> puts the film in context, and I recommend listening to it before watching the film. As Dearing and her guests say, <i>Boston Strangler</i> (on Hulu) is about many things. Most important among these was the expectation that "girl" reporters in the 1960s could not and should not report on crime. A close corollary was that the press should not question the authority of the police, which of course is a big part of what a free press is for.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_yfmHCkSB0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The film did not disappoint -- it presents a nuanced portrait of the work of the two women who investigated the story and who gave DeSalvo his nickname. Those who -- like us -- are not familiar with the story in detail will be surprised by quite a few aspects of the case.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And yes, it does mention Bridgewater. None of the filming took place in Bridgewater, but part of the story was set here. There is no shortage of old brick government buildings in Boston that could be used for the Bridgewater State Hospital façade as well as the interior scenes with its most notorious inmate. </span></p>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-49134961642097172962023-08-16T12:14:00.004-07:002023-08-17T06:55:56.044-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest: The Bridgewater Triangle on The History Channel<p>Local leaders always seem to get excited when cameras show up in Bridgewater (unless of course it's negative news, in which case no one wants anything to do with them). If a movie or television crew shows up to film in the area we can count on breathless local coverage giving the impression that Bridgewater is the next Hollywood. </p><p>The almost giddy tone of <b><a href="https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2023/08/09/bridgewater-triangle-ma-history-channel-beyond-skinwalker-ranch-paranormal-raynham-rehoboth-anawan/70514225007/?fbclid=IwAR3bCE2VpM24N3MyMK9t6sn4B2c5HJqvDfKNecnRBi2ZTJyQWxR9IDQt-d8" target="_blank">a recent story in the Brockton <i>Enterprise</i></a></b> about The History Channel's segment on the Bridgewater Triangle is one example. Nevertheless our interest was piqued so we paid the fee to purchase the streaming episode of <i>Beyond Skinwalker Ranch </i>through Amazon Prime. The show itself was disappointing. We felt like we were watching middle-school kids making a film while they were camping out (except everyone involved was a grown man). While the crew does speak to some locals about the history of the area, we have no idea what their credentials are. No one from the Wampanoag tribe was interviewed about King Philips War or <b><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/pukwudgie.htm" target="_blank">Puckwudgie</a>s</b> even though both were discussed in the piece. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdgk0LswWvqVeLBJrz2o53Y2UyWTlzawKkYU6S01Cc_YgXcEjznL0nYuVR1Wa0d5C5Veq2WWybW3tFopDpJ9c3XT7Rl1dxpEJHJZ1b0JWqdHXDFK_LlYcTxRxNozkWg3tMppM6rC1Cj264suDiVKB5e9hw5Eym1Tu6m38gIkucGdHRD9u8YMgWUlfZs0/s640/367596891_613162250968205_3037218925157774722_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="640" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdgk0LswWvqVeLBJrz2o53Y2UyWTlzawKkYU6S01Cc_YgXcEjznL0nYuVR1Wa0d5C5Veq2WWybW3tFopDpJ9c3XT7Rl1dxpEJHJZ1b0JWqdHXDFK_LlYcTxRxNozkWg3tMppM6rC1Cj264suDiVKB5e9hw5Eym1Tu6m38gIkucGdHRD9u8YMgWUlfZs0/w355-h245/367596891_613162250968205_3037218925157774722_n.png" width="355" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>The "evidence" they collect is laughable. For instance they take some footage of a flying glowing ball "It's not a plane! It's not a plane" they exclaimed over and over again. Perhaps it was a weather balloon? We don't know. They made no effort to find out. Bridgewater State University has an aviation department. If I were involved I might have asked someone there what they thought. </p><p>The crew is also astounded that they have three different compasses pointing to three different "norths" in the Hockomock Swamp. Compasses not working properly isn't exactly proof of paranormal activity. In fact, it's pretty common especially in a place with a lot of electromagnetic activity (high electromagnetic activity is not a paranormal phenomenon either). Again, I might have taken advantage of the nearby university and spoken with someone in the geology and geography departments for further explanation.</p><p>It seemed the most extreme abuse of "evidence" collection was the fact that several pieces of their (battery operated) equipment failed at the same time (again, in a place with a lot of electromagnetic activity) so they were unable to collect "data". They determined that this lack of data was in fact data. Holy moly.</p><p>This all made me think of the concept of "peer review". As an academic librarian I am very often asked to help someone find a peer-reviewed journal article. What they mean is a scholarly article that has been through a process in which other experts in the same field have determined that the author(s) did credible research with appropriate controls. Of course the term "peer" by itself simply means someone of your same age and/or circumstances. I sometimes tell students, for instance, that the entire University website is "peer reviewed" in the sense that the University vice-presidents all tell each other that they did a great job putting together a site that is simply a PR piece.</p><p>Likewise, the guys who made this show were simply clapping each other on the back telling themselves that they must have found something (because that's what they wanted). A healthy bit of skepticism was definitely in order. </p><p>This was perfectly awful. For those interested in the Bridgewater Triangle we recommend the 2013 <b><a href="https://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2013/10/bridgewater-triangle-premiere.html" target="_blank"><i>Bridgewater Triangle </i>documentary</a></b></p>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-71735379561495225682022-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:002022-12-08T11:42:27.183-08:00Cape Cod (the book) by Henry David Thoreau<p>We have a lot of bookshelves, each with many books. Some of these books we have both read (or read together), some only one of us has read, others have yet to be read by either of us. Thoreau's <i>Cape Cod </i>now is officially in the category of read by both of us. James says he read it some (perhaps ten) years ago. Pam has only just finished it. By way of a bonus for this Bridgewater couple, the book mentions our own town - twice!</p><p>Thoreau and his companion stop in Bridgewater overnight on their way to the Cape. He mentions "picking up a few arrow-heads there". The only arrow head I ever found was also in Bridgewater - it was left in the basement of our home by the previous owners.</p><p>Thoreau meets and talks to a lot of locals as he walks through the Cape. Fishermen, in particular, and not surprisingly, are mentioned frequently. </p><p></p><blockquote>I have heard of a minister who had been a fisherman, being settled in Bridgewater for as long a time as he could tell a cod from a haddock.</blockquote><p>For those inclined to read this work it is available for free from <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/34392/34392-h/34392-h.htm" target="_blank">Project Gutenberg </a></p><p></p>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-75756417037976502452022-07-06T08:53:00.000-07:002022-07-06T08:53:16.000-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest - Holly & Ivy <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGQ5ZjI0MjMtMzdjNC00MGVkLWE4ZGMtZTA3OTk4ZGM4MDNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODU3NzkyMDM@._V1_QL75_UX180_CR0,2,180,266_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="180" height="266" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGQ5ZjI0MjMtMzdjNC00MGVkLWE4ZGMtZTA3OTk4ZGM4MDNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODU3NzkyMDM@._V1_QL75_UX180_CR0,2,180,266_.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This tear-jerker features the fictitious Bridgewater Public Library in the real town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. A typical Hallmark Christmas movie with the usual hard-to-believe deadlines and plot points. Also, everyone is good looking. Read more about this on the <a href="https://liberrybooks.blogspot.com/2022/07/holly-ivy-movie.html" target="_blank"><b>Library Books</b></a> blog.<p></p>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-41708730800284637662021-12-14T11:51:00.002-08:002022-07-06T08:44:50.007-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest - Looking for (Christmas) Love in Bridgewater, NH - Single All the Way<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W_pgQJcBmJU/Ybj0m0ALdII/AAAAAAAAD5o/5-hvQKtpEIYGHYByt4nfVf1eesHRyMHZgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="571" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W_pgQJcBmJU/Ybj0m0ALdII/AAAAAAAAD5o/5-hvQKtpEIYGHYByt4nfVf1eesHRyMHZgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="160" /></a></div><p><br /></p>It's that time of year again! Watching funny and/or sappy Christmas movies may be the best thing about the season. I'm not averse to a formulaic Christmas love story, but a twist on the genre does keep me more interested. And I have been known to abort if I haven't been engaged within the first half hour. I expected that <i><b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14315756/mediaviewer/rm2533944065/" target="_blank">Single All the Way</a></b></i> (now available on Netflix) would simply be another film of the let's-pretend-you're-my-boyfriend-for-my-family trope (albeit with a gay spin). There was a little twist on the twist though which I will not spoil. However, what really kept me watching was that within the first 10 minutes I learned that the would-be lovers were traveling to Bridgewater, New Hampshire for the holidays (although the movie was actually filmed in Quebec, Canada). <p></p><p><br /><br /></p>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-880285720882508362020-07-01T08:07:00.000-07:002020-07-01T08:07:40.307-07:00Bridgwater/Bridgewater ConnectionsOne of the early posts on this blog related to <b><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=53Jw2UvgAYUC&ots=p1gFYnwbzG&dq=Letter%20from%20the%20inhabitants%20of%20Bridgewater%2C%20Somersetshire%2C%20England%20to%20the%20inhabitants&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=false">this letter</a> </b>"To the inhabitants of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, New England, America from the residents of Bridgewater, Somersetshire, England" regarding the abolition of slavery.<br />
<br />
Recently, these two Bridgewaters once again came together in a joint Black Lives Matter protest<br />
The event was covered by the <b><a href="https://www.westoverward.co.uk/town-diary/black-lives-matter-brings-towns-together-again/?fbclid=IwAR2CDvfFHkhw2wjmCuOAIV9IRofxDiZ4KvxGBl2X35tk7fyoH62Z-Mh6CWc">Bridgwater (no "e") Westover Web</a>. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I often see things that indicate that Massachusetts was the first state to abolish slavery in the United States, but rarely is it mentioned that it was the first state to legalize it as well. More <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_Massachusetts#:~:text=In%201641%2C%20Massachusetts%20passed%20its,or%20are%20sold%20to%20us.">information about the history of slavery in the Bay State can be found here.</a></b>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-66306848637686831052020-05-25T12:13:00.002-07:002021-12-14T11:57:39.742-08:00Bridgewater Canal<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CdrAkVhNobs/XswULsFbfrI/AAAAAAAAKu8/LZhW6QeEkr47tgX8UzusTFwRGgk4YlvhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bridgewatercanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="984" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CdrAkVhNobs/XswULsFbfrI/AAAAAAAAKu8/LZhW6QeEkr47tgX8UzusTFwRGgk4YlvhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/bridgewatercanal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: <b><a href="http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/boathire">The Bridgewater Canal</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Both of us have been spending part of our home-bound time in 2020 both teaching online and learning online. In addition to some DuoLingo lessons in French, I am taking an edX course on the development of cities, from <b><a href="https://www.environmentalgeography.net/2016/06/geo-veritas.html">Harvard</a></b> of all places.<br />
<br />
In yesterday's lesson, I was pleasantly surprised to find a new Bridgewater! See what economist Ed Glaeser has to say about the <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfX0HjkGFnk&t=1s">geographic importance of Lord Bridgewater's ambitious project</a></b> that ultimately made the inland city of Manchester a major port and a hub of the Industrial Revolution.<br />
<br />
We are indeed fortunate that the canal is still maintained, more for recreation than for industry these days, by a consortium of private and public entities operating simply as <b><a href="http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/">Bridgewater Canal</a></b>. The organization is in the process of restoring access to the entire length of the original towpaths. This kind of connectivity project is similar to the <b><a href="https://www.nunckatessettgreenway.org/">Nunckatessett Greenway</a></b> project I am working on in the three Bridgewaters of Massachusetts and to <b><a href="https://www.environmentalgeography.net/2020/05/fun-final-exam.html">trail-development projects over greater distances</a></b> that I have been covering in my Land Protection and Advanced Global Thinking classes.<br />
<br />
We very much look forward to visiting when we attend a Covid-postponed wedding in the UK next year. We have added the canal to our Bridgewaters Project map, of course. The snapshot below shows the canal, nearby Bridgewater Hall and the oddly spelled original town of Bridgwater. Look for more about all of these when we make the journey next year.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd5EopkGO9s/Xsq7pQCXDOI/AAAAAAAAKuw/-bwq6-n0sgAP2gVf8xgYEZ8fvTfLGj38ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-05-24%2Bat%2B2.23.12%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1030" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd5EopkGO9s/Xsq7pQCXDOI/AAAAAAAAKuw/-bwq6-n0sgAP2gVf8xgYEZ8fvTfLGj38ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-05-24%2Bat%2B2.23.12%2BPM.png" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, not clickable. Detail from our<br />
<b><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/drive?state=%7B%22ids%22%3A%5B%221ma-KMnsv4JOfAg4XvmzwmfmG4vD7MGgf%22%5D%2C%22action%22%3A%22open%22%2C%22userId%22%3A%22117849092592837264765%22%7D&usp=sharing">Bridgewater Project </a></b>map</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-12035102037510319202019-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:002019-07-13T11:10:15.435-07:00Bridgewater, Nova ScotiaSince we started this blog almost a decade ago -- and even before that, really -- we have had an interest in visiting the town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. We are pleased to be writing the first lines of this post in the lovely <b><a href="http://www.riverreflectionsbandb.ca/">River Revlections</a></b> bed-and-breakfast overlooking the LaHave River, around which this equally lovely town was incorporated a few years after our house in Bridgewater, Massachusetts was built. (NOTE: We are wrapping up this entry a full year later!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQ0T53LytO0/XSia4QiNu4I/AAAAAAAAJLc/ynUpoCivxBMOMl5stgBEg5yDZY4-ZBBUwCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatervisit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1246" height="558" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQ0T53LytO0/XSia4QiNu4I/AAAAAAAAJLc/ynUpoCivxBMOMl5stgBEg5yDZY4-ZBBUwCLcBGAs/s640/bridgewatervisit.png" width="640" /></a><br />
Yes, Canada's Bridgewater is much newer than our own, and local history suggests that the naming of the two is coincidental. An historical essay on the town's web site suggests that "<b><a href="https://www.bridgewater.ca/our-town/visitor-information6/town-history">the community got its name from being the place where the water was bridged</a></b>."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RT-iGxvS2FA/XSiamsw8RdI/AAAAAAAAJLE/GY7Dspj357QRiLx062RrOONTzTt6Q9PPwCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewaterhistoric.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RT-iGxvS2FA/XSiamsw8RdI/AAAAAAAAJLE/GY7Dspj357QRiLx062RrOONTzTt6Q9PPwCLcBGAs/s640/bridgewaterhistoric.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
Given the distance between these two Bridgewaters, we made a full week of the journey, and visited a few places on the way, and a couple that were a bit out of the way. The <b><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhayesboh/albums/72157693455122380">Bridgewaters Project - Nova Scotia</a></b> album on James' <b><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhayesboh/albums">Flickr site</a></b> includes photos of a lot of great places -- particularly in New Brunswick -- that we do not discuss in this entry.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1EZ_BPwe_1ZnbYsXREuunI7GVmhQLOBjQ" width="640"></iframe><br />
The easternmost point on our travel map is for future travel. We were not quite <i>that </i>ambitious, but we do hope to get to that <b><a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/cherchez-la-france">corner of France</a></b> before long.<br />
<br />
<b>Welcome to Canada; Have Some Chocolate</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tAwWgq_t6xI/XSiZuz8PdLI/AAAAAAAAJKs/YsEOoEUDvSkvwdO9Ijokw6qVDBEpFjHFwCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewaterchoc.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="779" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tAwWgq_t6xI/XSiZuz8PdLI/AAAAAAAAJKs/YsEOoEUDvSkvwdO9Ijokw6qVDBEpFjHFwCLcBGAs/s320/bridgewaterchoc.png" width="252" /></a>Over the years, we have driven into Canada through a dozen or so different border crossings. In this case, we entered at a small station perched on the edge of the St. Croix River, into the charming little town of St. Stephen. We were surprised to learn that it considers itself Canada's Chocolate Town -- and in fact that such a distinction might even exist.<br />
<br />
Given our strong interest in <b><a href="http://nuevareceta.blogspot.com/">foods</a></b> in general and <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/chocolate/">chocolate</a></b> in particular, we were soon embarked on a brief tour of the town's chocolate museum. The focus is not, of course, on the growing and production of cacao in Central America or West Africa, but rather on the craft involved in the production of fine chocolates, which does continue in the town.<br />
<br />
The exhibits included a very problematic collection of "Great Chiefs" trading cards, on which Native American leaders were featured but with the use of pejorative language, and which used to accompany some of the local candies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CWrXESVLOvw/XSoc7yMvaVI/AAAAAAAAJNM/NXpjXfi8y94EU-9XmHJLx9z4PG8FY4z6gCLcBGAs/s1600/bigchief-chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1000" height="289" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CWrXESVLOvw/XSoc7yMvaVI/AAAAAAAAJNM/NXpjXfi8y94EU-9XmHJLx9z4PG8FY4z6gCLcBGAs/s320/bigchief-chocolate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Local Lunch</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
From the online reviews, we could tell that lunch at the <b><a href="http://www.bridgewaterhotel.ca/">Bridgewater Hotel</a></b> might be more of a memorable cultural experience than a delectable culinary experience. This proved to be correct -- we are glad to have had the experience, especially given the establishment's iconic name and loyal local following. We were even more glad to have limited the experience to a meal, rather than the entire stay. We'll be checking in future for one of those "Under New Management" signs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dSy3oqgbVs/XSiaw0bd2_I/AAAAAAAAJLQ/X-hJmcm_LUMVo_97pmoB4CW6FO4lBvdcACLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatermuseum3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></a></div>
<b>Meta Bridgewater </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dSy3oqgbVs/XSiaw0bd2_I/AAAAAAAAJLQ/X-hJmcm_LUMVo_97pmoB4CW6FO4lBvdcACLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatermuseum3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="899" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dSy3oqgbVs/XSiaw0bd2_I/AAAAAAAAJLQ/X-hJmcm_LUMVo_97pmoB4CW6FO4lBvdcACLcBGAs/s320/bridgewatermuseum3.png" width="320" /></a><b><br /></b>A visit to the <b><a href="http://www.desbrisaymuseum.ca/">DesBrisay Museum</a></b> in Bridgewater was, of course, de rigueur. This small museum was started in the 19th century by lawyer Mather Byles DesBrisay with his own artifacts.<br />
<br />
Now boasting information and exhibits on local history as well as some of DesBrisay's original collections, it also had something extra special for these two Bridgewater aficionados.<br />
<br />
<br />
We were greeted at the museum entrance by curator Linda Bedford, who asked where we were from. When we said Bridgewater, Massachusetts she smiled brightly and wondered if we knew how many Bridgewaters there were in the world. We answered that we believed there were about a dozen, and that we were on a quest to visit them all. She clarified that there were actually 17 Bridgewaters worldwide, and that she had written to all of them in 1999 for a special exhibit in honor of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia's centennial!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMqGih9G3Q0/XSia57SdkLI/AAAAAAAAJLg/t5gM5LZEaic-DBbGD7GFGIiw1J9Ljj0YACLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatermuseum4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1491" height="506" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMqGih9G3Q0/XSia57SdkLI/AAAAAAAAJLg/t5gM5LZEaic-DBbGD7GFGIiw1J9Ljj0YACLcBGAs/s640/bridgewatermuseum4.png" width="640" /></a><br />
After we had a chance to watch an introductory video and explore the museum, Ms. Bedford brought us back to the Research Room and produced to file folders with information about the 16 other Bridgewaters. One folder had information about 15 of those towns; the other, fatter folder, had the information sent from Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Our proud, over-achieving Town Clerk had sent directories, letters, and a host of other artifacts about our town. What a treat to see names of some of our friends in a museum in Canada!<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2xl6MXSym4M/W1iFKxXgwsI/AAAAAAAADG4/fYxqsk9wd-syGrwqDF4xPJcNQkXIJbHmwCLcBGAs/s1600/37268888_1968502619828493_8350107277503496192_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2xl6MXSym4M/W1iFKxXgwsI/AAAAAAAADG4/fYxqsk9wd-syGrwqDF4xPJcNQkXIJbHmwCLcBGAs/s320/37268888_1968502619828493_8350107277503496192_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">We posed for this photo which was then featured on the Museum's website!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
An additional, more tangible reward for visiting the museum was the gift of the last two centennial commemorative pins!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCNrwXH8svs/W1iFXbOsTDI/AAAAAAAADG8/ehtH_LuK1msqTLaUFb_M8uLkeMqnA4pHACLcBGAs/s1600/37807791_10217358872188111_2155917043918962688_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCNrwXH8svs/W1iFXbOsTDI/AAAAAAAADG8/ehtH_LuK1msqTLaUFb_M8uLkeMqnA4pHACLcBGAs/s400/37807791_10217358872188111_2155917043918962688_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Getting Carded</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mUt6nYORmHM/XSiYh1uWlBI/AAAAAAAAJKg/wr0Ig8ZeA_wVwAO6LR3U_Q_gJSqT7N6sgCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatercarding.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="582" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mUt6nYORmHM/XSiYh1uWlBI/AAAAAAAAJKg/wr0Ig8ZeA_wVwAO6LR3U_Q_gJSqT7N6sgCLcBGAs/s400/bridgewatercarding.png" width="170" /></a>As with our own Bridgewater, that of Nova Scotia is situated on a river with very modest vertical relief. In both cases, a small mill was situated in one of the few places in which adequate flow could be found to operate a millwheel. </div>
<br />
In Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, this river's energy was used for the carding of wool -- that is, the combing that is a necessary precursor to the spinning of wool into thread.<br />
<br />
Today, knowledgeable interpreters demonstrate the processes and machinery, and more importantly talk about the incredibly difficult working conditions of the mostly young women who did this work. Amazingly, they are able to share a video of an elderly woman who discusses her own experience in the mill firsthand, taking visitors back nearly a century in direct oral history.<br />
<br />
Visitors are also able to try carding wool by hand, which requires some patience and attention to detail. Have a look at the souvenirs below and guess which one was done by James.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l01Lzt3Oh3A/W1iTNxVTt7I/AAAAAAAADHY/ezNv8DIzM4g_tjssb4Znf8HZ6C-cGQ-wQCLcBGAs/s1600/37340819_10217303537364775_2044638293865267200_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l01Lzt3Oh3A/W1iTNxVTt7I/AAAAAAAADHY/ezNv8DIzM4g_tjssb4Znf8HZ6C-cGQ-wQCLcBGAs/s640/37340819_10217303537364775_2044638293865267200_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>In Search of Ice Cream</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After our day in lovely Lunenburg we felt ice cream was in order. It was harder to find than we expected and we ended up in Jerry's diner which featured 24-flavors of soft serve. We ordered our cones, and apparently ate the last of the ice cream there for the day!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxGIR61VdxI/W1iRXUiCJcI/AAAAAAAADHM/UJNEdF8u77wI2fTMTHrw4LWq-7cgle-HACLcBGAs/s1600/37850198_10217359004391416_2609520076331679744_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxGIR61VdxI/W1iRXUiCJcI/AAAAAAAADHM/UJNEdF8u77wI2fTMTHrw4LWq-7cgle-HACLcBGAs/s320/37850198_10217359004391416_2609520076331679744_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: left;">The next day, after visiting the museums, we took a walking tour of the neighbor near our Bed and Breakfast and noticed a convenience store that sold ice cream cones by the scoop. When Pam remarked that we should have gone there for ice cream, James correctly pointed out that it was a new day, so another round of ice cream was fine, and in we went. It was kind of dumb luck that Pam tried Moon Mist ice cream. We had read about this multi-colored Nova Scotia treat from </span><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/moon-mist-ice-cream">this Atlas Obscura post</a></b><span style="text-align: left;">, put having some on our Bridgewater "to do" list, and then promptly forgot about it. Something in Pam's subconscious must have told her to order it though (James had the Shark Bite flavor). As Atlas Obscura indicates, the flavor is a combination of banana, grape, and bubble gum (heavy on the bubble gum)! Pam simply calls it "kid flavored."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Zkk_teuk0/W1iWKDzNXmI/AAAAAAAADHk/WCpWe-h5wwszIB8r9NkxKOpTeuPpCK5dQCLcBGAs/s1600/moonmist_tgmcclean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Zkk_teuk0/W1iWKDzNXmI/AAAAAAAADHk/WCpWe-h5wwszIB8r9NkxKOpTeuPpCK5dQCLcBGAs/s320/moonmist_tgmcclean.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from Atlas Obscura</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>So What Do They Got that We Ain't Got?</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JcKu6Ijwt6Y/XSoKyezj6KI/AAAAAAAAJMo/rI_-Zzjeg3E5AP4XPtNyekMD1yihTHRdwCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewaterskate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="464" height="293" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JcKu6Ijwt6Y/XSoKyezj6KI/AAAAAAAAJMo/rI_-Zzjeg3E5AP4XPtNyekMD1yihTHRdwCLcBGAs/s320/bridgewaterskate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Besides Moon Mist ice cream? Well, a skateboard park for one thing. We used to have one here in Bridgewater, MA. In 2010 ours was <b><a href="https://environmentalgeography.blogspot.com/2010/08/contested-public-space.html">bulldozed by an autocratic parks director </a></b>after one instance of graffiti. At the same time that our skateboard park was removed, our town also voted to drastically cut the library budget. The Library was actually closed for a few days, and then opened with hours cut to about 15 per week. I wasn't surprised when the local newspaper then reported a petty crime wave of vandalized cars and property.<br />
<br />
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia also has a Cineplex, something one might expect that we'd have here in our our college town, but nope, no entrepreneur has figured that one out yet. I must admit that the Bridgewater, NS theatre wasn't playing anything that James and I had the least interest in seeing. Summer "blockbusters" just don't appeal, but a blockbuster theater is better than no theater at all.<br />
<br />
More generally, Bridgewater Nova Scotia has a lot of publicly accessible open space, including miles of trails to connect those spaces. We took advantage of several miles of these trails.<br />
<br />
<b>Lunenburg</b><br />
<div>
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQ2XUUoxPAY/XSiap1Dv84I/AAAAAAAAJLI/ROeFwuEDKMkq7MTggegOk_L_7w77xnJJgCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewaterlunnenberg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1255" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQ2XUUoxPAY/XSiap1Dv84I/AAAAAAAAJLI/ROeFwuEDKMkq7MTggegOk_L_7w77xnJJgCLcBGAs/s640/bridgewaterlunnenberg.png" width="630" /></a><br />
<br />
An article about <b><a href="https://www.novascotia.com/explore/top-25/lunenburg">Lunenburg</a></b> showed up on Pam's Facebook feed at some point while we were in the early stages of planning this trip. Luckily this town, which is designated as a <b><a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a>, </b>is the next town to the east of Bridgewater. The drive from one to the other is simply adorable and includes an optional ferry crossing, for which we of course opted.<br />
<br />
The beautiful architecture is enhanced by the liberal use of bright colors with some houses sporting up to five different pigments!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4ziGymGkfU/W1nv8uFrCwI/AAAAAAAADIo/prV5SAhjRsQaS9IXB-Fxf47rxym5i8pcwCLcBGAs/s1600/37837077_10217359006111459_5608447958170206208_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4ziGymGkfU/W1nv8uFrCwI/AAAAAAAADIo/prV5SAhjRsQaS9IXB-Fxf47rxym5i8pcwCLcBGAs/s320/37837077_10217359006111459_5608447958170206208_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pDS3kk6SsSc/W1nv6gQFoxI/AAAAAAAADIE/xSpFqOykhCoBrgYT8vrsvt-o_foERGeggCLcBGAs/s1600/37757651_10217359006231462_1706287942881771520_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pDS3kk6SsSc/W1nv6gQFoxI/AAAAAAAADIE/xSpFqOykhCoBrgYT8vrsvt-o_foERGeggCLcBGAs/s320/37757651_10217359006231462_1706287942881771520_n.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHCj7Y-ajxA/W1nv9KysIDI/AAAAAAAADI0/BzzOglun3vIEYO-d7RwrVJsDvRtTZ1HFgCLcBGAs/s1600/37885584_10217359009311539_4155811163063451648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHCj7Y-ajxA/W1nv9KysIDI/AAAAAAAADI0/BzzOglun3vIEYO-d7RwrVJsDvRtTZ1HFgCLcBGAs/s320/37885584_10217359009311539_4155811163063451648_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HichgtMO22Q/W1nv66__EYI/AAAAAAAADIM/htswuQm6Cuo5ZeR0yHXrlIVH5Bx17ipfgCLcBGAs/s1600/37785771_10217359009551545_7658360093917839360_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HichgtMO22Q/W1nv66__EYI/AAAAAAAADIM/htswuQm6Cuo5ZeR0yHXrlIVH5Bx17ipfgCLcBGAs/s320/37785771_10217359009551545_7658360093917839360_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFQRd1edUAk/W1nv7VuqZSI/AAAAAAAADIQ/XPrG-fu52RIFZmiTu4ga91-qZd61jw3mgCLcBGAs/s1600/37786623_10217359006431467_3919047233990819840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFQRd1edUAk/W1nv7VuqZSI/AAAAAAAADIQ/XPrG-fu52RIFZmiTu4ga91-qZd61jw3mgCLcBGAs/s320/37786623_10217359006431467_3919047233990819840_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhgLLsarQqg/W1nv7jq1LOI/AAAAAAAADIU/QA5K4pn87UYYaXbi4GZ-RWDLe4w6hmQewCLcBGAs/s1600/37787948_10217359006911479_3261952074182557696_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhgLLsarQqg/W1nv7jq1LOI/AAAAAAAADIU/QA5K4pn87UYYaXbi4GZ-RWDLe4w6hmQewCLcBGAs/s320/37787948_10217359006911479_3261952074182557696_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KqJpNum9ws/W1nv6UhI-_I/AAAAAAAADIA/yoGiyJ16B84p45JUiW0bhswp_Ah-IkE5ACLcBGAs/s1600/37756826_10217359008151510_5529466339980214272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1378" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KqJpNum9ws/W1nv6UhI-_I/AAAAAAAADIA/yoGiyJ16B84p45JUiW0bhswp_Ah-IkE5ACLcBGAs/s320/37756826_10217359008151510_5529466339980214272_n.jpg" width="275" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f00EgaWGkbI/W1nv81O6-rI/AAAAAAAADIw/c1zj4VUuM_4j78V8yjeEJBHtOxX9DqHiACLcBGAs/s1600/37878888_10217359008271513_8136771819504926720_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1429" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f00EgaWGkbI/W1nv81O6-rI/AAAAAAAADIw/c1zj4VUuM_4j78V8yjeEJBHtOxX9DqHiACLcBGAs/s320/37878888_10217359008271513_8136771819504926720_n.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Food & Beverage on the Working Waterfront</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We were disappointed to have missed most Lunenburg's most famous Tall Ship the <b><a href="https://www.novascotia.com/see-do/attractions/bluenose?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7PeD3JK93AIVD0sNCh1M0Ae6EAAYASAAEgLd4vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">Bluenose II</a>, </b>but we enjoyed a horse and carriage ride through town, had lunch overlooking the water at <b><a href="https://www.saltshakerdeli.com/">The Salt Shaker Deli</a>, </b>and sampled some whiskey at the<a href="https://ironworksdistillery.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"> Ironworks Distillery</a>. The Bluenose II is a replica of a racing yacht that is featured on the Canadian dime.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymIjjolID8E/W1nvvG32LdI/AAAAAAAADJQ/f9d3PSOawZEdJ6hg9qVeP8mEj3iEtxjNQCEwYBhgL/s1600/37730034_10217359008031507_8027013264535715840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymIjjolID8E/W1nvvG32LdI/AAAAAAAADJQ/f9d3PSOawZEdJ6hg9qVeP8mEj3iEtxjNQCEwYBhgL/s320/37730034_10217359008031507_8027013264535715840_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V2j1ZwnPsNE/W1nv7i_kRgI/AAAAAAAADJU/MNJP8MwevzEc0ywQ7kR_1srgslFg343nQCEwYBhgL/s1600/37792570_10217359009871553_5349171764742062080_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V2j1ZwnPsNE/W1nv7i_kRgI/AAAAAAAADJU/MNJP8MwevzEc0ywQ7kR_1srgslFg343nQCEwYBhgL/s320/37792570_10217359009871553_5349171764742062080_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the restaurant patio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-59I_9GOJtcE/W1nv8anKb6I/AAAAAAAADJQ/gsNAau8JaaAvmP71broS2AXqEWahz9QtQCEwYBhgL/s1600/37812968_10217359007551495_3380198098708987904_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-59I_9GOJtcE/W1nv8anKb6I/AAAAAAAADJQ/gsNAau8JaaAvmP71broS2AXqEWahz9QtQCEwYBhgL/s200/37812968_10217359007551495_3380198098708987904_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1qj1IObCRU/W1nv804J6_I/AAAAAAAADJQ/RmjDoAPi55w8-Wd2WYvX_McW5Hgzh9bCACEwYBhgL/s1600/37837634_10217359007871503_7088577740881788928_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1qj1IObCRU/W1nv804J6_I/AAAAAAAADJQ/RmjDoAPi55w8-Wd2WYvX_McW5Hgzh9bCACEwYBhgL/s320/37837634_10217359007871503_7088577740881788928_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Vinegar Bible</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8VSewHtS1Us/W1nv6nlf1EI/AAAAAAAADJA/OqaSJx2W0HQV3iEmjw1R5PTM69O3dL1egCEwYBhgL/s1600/37754041_10217359005831452_2794287361792409600_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8VSewHtS1Us/W1nv6nlf1EI/AAAAAAAADJA/OqaSJx2W0HQV3iEmjw1R5PTM69O3dL1egCEwYBhgL/s320/37754041_10217359005831452_2794287361792409600_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><b><br /></b><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HbbOGR2CdxQ/W1nv8ZR3DRI/AAAAAAAADJM/XLW3OjnJKoIjdb8JmxmNAz0HLdbD9JOMQCEwYBhgL/s1600/37827716_10217359005431442_429154463656181760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HbbOGR2CdxQ/W1nv8ZR3DRI/AAAAAAAADJM/XLW3OjnJKoIjdb8JmxmNAz0HLdbD9JOMQCEwYBhgL/s320/37827716_10217359005431442_429154463656181760_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nslfxDqO12g/W1nwJ00VqZI/AAAAAAAADJU/Bgj7DY2r_CAu9MlfeTa0slrUqjZk-isSwCEwYBhgL/s1600/37864392_10217359005591446_6003023399608123392_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nslfxDqO12g/W1nwJ00VqZI/AAAAAAAADJU/Bgj7DY2r_CAu9MlfeTa0slrUqjZk-isSwCEwYBhgL/s320/37864392_10217359005591446_6003023399608123392_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stars on the ceiling represent what the night sky would have looked like in Lunenburg on December 25, 1 A.D.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Bird Islands</b><br />
<br />
On the way home, we digressed a full day for an exceptional birdwatching tour. Our tour was late in the afternoon, when the light is just perfect, and led by guides with decades of experience in the waters of northern Cape Breton.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQuC2CU-E4M/W1qUvlFgkqI/AAAAAAAAImI/hIv3dBSmj-czS3WegbFBj4J6Zh5uXCNIgCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-26%2Bat%2B1.52.41%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1190" height="560" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQuC2CU-E4M/W1qUvlFgkqI/AAAAAAAAImI/hIv3dBSmj-czS3WegbFBj4J6Zh5uXCNIgCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-26%2Bat%2B1.52.41%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
From a small dock in Englishtown that our guides use for the family lobstering business, we set off toward the northeast, past Cape Dauphin to "bird islands" that are visible as long slivers on this satellite image but that do not show up in the map view of the same area.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m9rcBv5xiqA/W1sfcTJgbAI/AAAAAAAADJk/C4uoS1FBkyAhq2xaXDF-ojDJwFceEsvYgCLcBGAs/s1600/37375497_10217313625696977_917597076773142528_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="960" height="217" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m9rcBv5xiqA/W1sfcTJgbAI/AAAAAAAADJk/C4uoS1FBkyAhq2xaXDF-ojDJwFceEsvYgCLcBGAs/s400/37375497_10217313625696977_917597076773142528_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle exiting stage right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PBdxFUPbeU/W1sfcWoWZTI/AAAAAAAADJo/0IQSM3v4WNA3TnTg0MqUtgJ2JwydBZCsgCLcBGAs/s1600/37386810_10217313619376819_3866723842151940096_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="960" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PBdxFUPbeU/W1sfcWoWZTI/AAAAAAAADJo/0IQSM3v4WNA3TnTg0MqUtgJ2JwydBZCsgCLcBGAs/s400/37386810_10217313619376819_3866723842151940096_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puffins!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNI6NrasgeU/W1sfc5BZI9I/AAAAAAAADJs/rSSL5HO0bb8A1CNUuRH0PvmFELos7n3EQCLcBGAs/s1600/37424811_10217313616016735_2774483289065390080_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNI6NrasgeU/W1sfc5BZI9I/AAAAAAAADJs/rSSL5HO0bb8A1CNUuRH0PvmFELos7n3EQCLcBGAs/s400/37424811_10217313616016735_2774483289065390080_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExPZqQkgSBs/W1sfdRJs6II/AAAAAAAADJ0/39G0VR455KgSffl7P1TjlHQoZAwiwLxZwCLcBGAs/s1600/37500299_10217313624576949_2165371121635950592_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExPZqQkgSBs/W1sfdRJs6II/AAAAAAAADJ0/39G0VR455KgSffl7P1TjlHQoZAwiwLxZwCLcBGAs/s400/37500299_10217313624576949_2165371121635950592_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yKmB3M_ltFM/W1sfeFuLaoI/AAAAAAAADJ4/__n6VbO3prMiUCfQIiAe2w4qai3-CjEaACLcBGAs/s1600/37571964_10217313612896657_2400175012318281728_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yKmB3M_ltFM/W1sfeFuLaoI/AAAAAAAADJ4/__n6VbO3prMiUCfQIiAe2w4qai3-CjEaACLcBGAs/s400/37571964_10217313612896657_2400175012318281728_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIPZ95iIOiY/W1sfNYQqAdI/AAAAAAAADJc/nm7STlLMbTw2ANiw8ibCOSkKS9H2eLMwACLcBGAs/s1600/37916748_10217375049992546_5964015389934354432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="467" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIPZ95iIOiY/W1sfNYQqAdI/AAAAAAAADJc/nm7STlLMbTw2ANiw8ibCOSkKS9H2eLMwACLcBGAs/s640/37916748_10217375049992546_5964015389934354432_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw the Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Black Legged Kittiwakes, two types of Gulls, two types of Cormorants, about 20 bald eagles and a Great Blue Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Lagniappe: </b>The 2024 solar eclipse will return to Nova Scotia (where the 1972 eclipse inspired Carly Simon), but only to this very northernmost tip of Cape Breton. It is going to be VERY crowded, and watching these birds after the return of the sun will be an unbelievable experience for those lucky enough to witness it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z8BpWu-LVJ0/XSobsCFv5aI/AAAAAAAAJNA/JJFs6i7bvnUtlZecS42hVSNP6GnYq-TVgCLcBGAs/s1600/eclipse2024novacotia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1406" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z8BpWu-LVJ0/XSobsCFv5aI/AAAAAAAAJNA/JJFs6i7bvnUtlZecS42hVSNP6GnYq-TVgCLcBGAs/s640/eclipse2024novacotia.png" width="562" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Cafés</b><br />
<br />
The journey to Bridgewater afforded us plenty of opportunities to find new cafés and diners. James added five of them to the GeoCafes map and blog:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2018/07/rogue-coffee_23.html">Rogue Coffee</a></b> in Saint John, New Brunswick<br />
<b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2018/07/no-9.html">No. 9 Coffee Bar</a></b> in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia<br />
<b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2018/07/fancy-pants.html">Fancy Pants</a></b> in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia<br />
<b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2018/07/dicks-restaurant.html">Dick's Restaurant</a></b> in Mexico, Maine<br />
<b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2018/07/fancy-pants.html">Moose Muck Coffee House</a></b> in Colebrook, New Hampshire<br />
<br />
Honorable mention but not reviewed because we had nothing positive to say: Judy's in Bangor, Maine. Although it made for a memorable story, we cannot recommend visiting, even as a joke.<br />
<br />
<b>A Busman's Holiday</b><br />
As a librarian Pam likes to visit libraries when we travel. We had a quest in mind for this trip - <b><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/haskell-free-library-and-opera-house">The Haskell Free Library and Opera House</a>.</b> Pam had written about this special library (which sits on the international border between Derby Line, Vermont, USA and Stanstead, Quebec, Canada) in her <b><a href="http://liberrybooks.blogspot.com/2018/06/idiot-america-how-stupidity-became.html">"Library" Books blog post about <i>Idiot America</i></a>. </b>Once upon a time people in these two free countries were free to walk from one to the other without entering the building. Since 9/11 the only way for a person to be in these two countries at once is to enter the library.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sQX96McjlCQ/W2m-JHcwT-I/AAAAAAAADLQ/Ic0nc9r1ulsNOG5MQjGK1oaYgI-O4SftgCLcBGAs/s1600/38808245_1868671223219789_3206618060593037312_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sQX96McjlCQ/W2m-JHcwT-I/AAAAAAAADLQ/Ic0nc9r1ulsNOG5MQjGK1oaYgI-O4SftgCLcBGAs/s320/38808245_1868671223219789_3206618060593037312_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XMwoYofhT0/W2m-Idv78iI/AAAAAAAADK4/94IqYq6hbI42bvPm9uPCgq1PbyAdAoSQQCLcBGAs/s1600/38637433_297213794380621_4051413255560626176_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1193" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XMwoYofhT0/W2m-Idv78iI/AAAAAAAADK4/94IqYq6hbI42bvPm9uPCgq1PbyAdAoSQQCLcBGAs/s320/38637433_297213794380621_4051413255560626176_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The flowerpots in these photos mark the international border. The police car was parked there when we entered the building, but was gone when we came out. The gentleman in the background of the photo on the right walked right over the line, even though the sign says that you will be arrested for doing so.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a14sl6RuYdA/W2m-C6EjuFI/AAAAAAAADK0/Pccx_e65yloKgc71kliEOfjGDto4MbXWACLcBGAs/s1600/38632919_2301645273196017_633350063745138688_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a14sl6RuYdA/W2m-C6EjuFI/AAAAAAAADK0/Pccx_e65yloKgc71kliEOfjGDto4MbXWACLcBGAs/s320/38632919_2301645273196017_633350063745138688_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tY7DUcz1veU/W2m-IjAQMYI/AAAAAAAADK8/qOEiXLlmtIcb2767nbYWMct6nEigL-YOQCLcBGAs/s1600/38645782_275904143205510_6222595704171266048_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tY7DUcz1veU/W2m-IjAQMYI/AAAAAAAADK8/qOEiXLlmtIcb2767nbYWMct6nEigL-YOQCLcBGAs/s320/38645782_275904143205510_6222595704171266048_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We found books in French, Spanish, and English</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3YwkpgdxSYU/W2m-JNAEb7I/AAAAAAAADLM/abg5dLtuWGoTmlcCfY-o8IaiAbqG2VeegCLcBGAs/s1600/38791671_2176725985933232_6921976629484847104_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3YwkpgdxSYU/W2m-JNAEb7I/AAAAAAAADLM/abg5dLtuWGoTmlcCfY-o8IaiAbqG2VeegCLcBGAs/s320/38791671_2176725985933232_6921976629484847104_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here James sits with one foot in the USA, the other in Canada. So nice of the library to set this chair just for Geographers to take nerdy pictures.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just behind and to the right of the service desk (visible in the photo) is the public restroom. I was surprised at just how "public" it was after having read <b><a href="https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Prosecutors-Vermont-Library-Exploited-in-International-Gun-Smuggling-Scheme-430939183.html">this article</a> </b>about an international gun running scheme involving this restroom. I actually heard the "tinkling" after someone went in to use it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ui3Z7rXeSAs/W2m-I1gYK6I/AAAAAAAADLE/0fTHnUpkhTUn1CEOIYB5RvAQp0cKUoNYwCLcBGAs/s1600/38693333_269019137028648_2701934123135533056_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ui3Z7rXeSAs/W2m-I1gYK6I/AAAAAAAADLE/0fTHnUpkhTUn1CEOIYB5RvAQp0cKUoNYwCLcBGAs/s1600/38693333_269019137028648_2701934123135533056_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ui3Z7rXeSAs/W2m-I1gYK6I/AAAAAAAADLE/0fTHnUpkhTUn1CEOIYB5RvAQp0cKUoNYwCLcBGAs/s320/38693333_269019137028648_2701934123135533056_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s320/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEcY7ThEakw/W2m-Iut0LwI/AAAAAAAADLA/Otl1wuDg8ngdKQvGyRSgz2yiXqqeHi2AACLcBGAs/s1600/38692679_359211591283700_121200399385362432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
And, while not an actual library, the Wilton (Maine) Free Public Library Used Book Annex piqued my interest, especially as a Public Library Trustee.<br />
<br />
This bookshelf was located in the lobby<br />
of our motel. As indicated by the sign books are available to take, with a request for a donation which to be applied to the operating fund of the public library.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUTZZFqBcN8/W2nCdpopsVI/AAAAAAAADLs/222QIaN7rosTC-9tgPX_qLytUk_Ov0znQCLcBGAs/s1600/38702085_2107965932784476_712540902677020672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1545" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUTZZFqBcN8/W2nCdpopsVI/AAAAAAAADLs/222QIaN7rosTC-9tgPX_qLytUk_Ov0znQCLcBGAs/s320/38702085_2107965932784476_712540902677020672_n.jpg" width="308" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-81997089516671437412018-03-17T18:24:00.003-07:002021-12-14T11:56:42.159-08:00Bridgewater by the Bridge, on the WaterThis week we made our first visit to Florida since 2002 or so -- not counting hectic layovers in MIA, <b><a href="http://environmentalgeography.blogspot.com/2014/07/capital-of-latin-america.html">Capital of Latin America</a></b>. We had certainly not been there since starting this Bridgewaters Project blog, and on the second day of this brief visit, Pam suggested we should seek some Bridgewaters in Florida. Careful readers of this blog will know that it started as an exploration of towns that share the name of our town, of which there are quite a few in the United States and a few other English-speaking countries.<br />
<br />
Careful readers will also know that we like blogging so much that we have extended our scope to include shopping malls, housing developments, and other geographic ephemera. Hoping to find a couple such places, I did a lazy search on Google maps, and found something like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vmjGeA2jszw/WqA33fSo6bI/AAAAAAAAIPc/DNmGQ8te_vYiE7Yh7nEjnDjN0gU0QgejgCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-03-07%2Bat%2B1.53.08%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1116" height="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vmjGeA2jszw/WqA33fSo6bI/AAAAAAAAIPc/DNmGQ8te_vYiE7Yh7nEjnDjN0gU0QgejgCLcBGAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-03-07%2Bat%2B1.53.08%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Of these, the Bridgewater Inn was close to our planned travels for the day, so we started heading that way, following the low-tech map I sketched on the back of a restaurant placemat. When navigating in a rented car, I <i>can</i> use my phone's GPS, but I prefer to go old-school on longer stretches like this one was to be.<br />
<br />
Following Burnt Store Road from I-75, we began to wonder if my navigational technique had failed us somehow. We passed mile after mile of low-density development being carved into the flatness to the west of Ft. Myers, block by block, until we lost track of the scale of our drive. We were both starting to think of giving up when we finally arrived at Pine Island Road. We were then surprised to find ourselves in the kind of resort-town traffic jam we associate with places like South Padre or Ocean City.<br />
<br />
When we first found the inn, we were somewhat underwhelmed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wjyanAmYtHM/WqnMKp1lKOI/AAAAAAAAIQo/IBb_MGBebWAyuimfLov0RTqFaStyU0aqACLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="710" height="295" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wjyanAmYtHM/WqnMKp1lKOI/AAAAAAAAIQo/IBb_MGBebWAyuimfLov0RTqFaStyU0aqACLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Usually we have nothing to do with crabs outside of the borders of Maryland. But this one was very cute.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vq4UQzDepeU/WqnMHOfaVCI/AAAAAAAAIQk/YuCqE6N0ZoAm-tn93gQzhrrV8tZonr-cQCLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vq4UQzDepeU/WqnMHOfaVCI/AAAAAAAAIQk/YuCqE6N0ZoAm-tn93gQzhrrV8tZonr-cQCLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">We were confused when we first found the Inn, because it seemed very small and without an office. We abandoned our quest, and realized almost immediately that this was a small annex located just a few yards away. We learned, though, that amidst all of the sprawl and free parking in southwest Florida, we had found one spot where parking is at a premium. A nearby gift shop advertises free parking with any purchase.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_1QKpxRAZZE/WqnMhYNjkdI/AAAAAAAAIRA/pOun1h7i_V0xZLP3VRVxrdbYEm_BvP7pQCLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="906" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_1QKpxRAZZE/WqnMhYNjkdI/AAAAAAAAIRA/pOun1h7i_V0xZLP3VRVxrdbYEm_BvP7pQCLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla08.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">We then found the main entrance and availed ourselves of the limited parking just long enough to take a few photos. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4hUDPs-26U/WqnMRFA7CII/AAAAAAAAIQw/XdG3YppTwkE6Jwl5eWsIuS7Y22ZJWjfYwCLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="940" height="283" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4hUDPs-26U/WqnMRFA7CII/AAAAAAAAIQw/XdG3YppTwkE6Jwl5eWsIuS7Y22ZJWjfYwCLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Island time begins on <i>this </i>side of the bridge; no need to wait until getting across to the actual island.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-48ufgztpCio/WqnMVYTcwWI/AAAAAAAAIQ0/Gyuoh0NKWuUVhRp5eTGJjka9vtkZ3MLDACLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1050" height="306" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-48ufgztpCio/WqnMVYTcwWI/AAAAAAAAIQ0/Gyuoh0NKWuUVhRp5eTGJjka9vtkZ3MLDACLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Geographers love examples of "sense of place" -- the symbols by which people manifest their connections to places. This bric-a-brac collection certainly tells us where we are, and how the innkeepers see it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFrvUEOKJ1Q/WqnMYFLsuOI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/2mjeDgGEZVMXb748ACdOU4BKUE-t2hKaQCLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1047" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFrvUEOKJ1Q/WqnMYFLsuOI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/2mjeDgGEZVMXb748ACdOU4BKUE-t2hKaQCLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Even more specific to this place is a mural in the main office that shows us both the bridge and the water. Rooms on the western side of the inn have a great view of both!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIhYqk4kzsw/WqnMdd9YCeI/AAAAAAAAIQ8/OeW9DYmZ8MsFGubx1WxY1kalumi8snM4gCLcBGAs/s1600/bwaterfla07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIhYqk4kzsw/WqnMdd9YCeI/AAAAAAAAIQ8/OeW9DYmZ8MsFGubx1WxY1kalumi8snM4gCLcBGAs/s320/bwaterfla07.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Since we started spending more time near the water over the past five years, we've become more aware of the rhythms of weather and water. Writing the daily details on a board like this might be a better way to get in tune than any digital gizmos.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6enotpkPyLc/Wq2-FgqlI5I/AAAAAAAAIRo/Q3AurCIadbg0mEOU982fTXwY3VQ5LKb9ACLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewaterinn09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6enotpkPyLc/Wq2-FgqlI5I/AAAAAAAAIRo/Q3AurCIadbg0mEOU982fTXwY3VQ5LKb9ACLcBGAs/s400/bridgewaterinn09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The next time we go to Florida between blizzards, we might find a way to spend a couple of days right here, in the southmost Bridgewater we've visited so far.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-38477758853449340042018-02-11T15:01:00.000-08:002021-12-14T11:59:16.419-08:00Bridgewater: The HymnAt the beginning of today's service at <b><a href="http://fpuubridgewater.org/">First Parish Bridgewater</a></b> -- the <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2009/12/north-bridgewater-aka-brockton.html">church that started the town</a></b> and of which we are active members -- Pam noticed something interesting about the prelude we would soon be hearing. The title of the hymn was "Bridgewater," and its composer was born in the town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyQkaGSpqT_6rmFJgvVJQCBqH1xoMrK9pJ51epsEHh_eQMYDxPDWDjZtHUucNKFUvfz7qX7kHpQBI7rHLFneA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Because of Pam's quick thinking, I was able to get ready to record our organist Duncan Vinson opening the service with the first stanza of the song. It was an appropriate way to begin what turned out to be a thought-provoking service about the competing religious ideas of two founders of the United States: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Given that <b><a href="https://hymnary.org/person/Edson_Lewis">Lewis Edson</a></b> lived from 1748 to 1820, he must have written this hymn during the years in which the debates of these <b><a href="https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/personality-profile-jefferson-and-adams">original frenemies</a></b> were most active.<br />
<br />
Those who wish to sing along have several choices, according to the <b><a href="https://hymnary.org/tune/bridgewater_edson">Bridgewater entry</a></b> on <a href="http://hymnary.org/" style="font-weight: bold;">Hymnary.org</a> (an obscure synonym for <i>hymnal</i>, this site is like the <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/">IMDb</a></b> of church music). Edson did not write words for his tune, but three alternatives were written by others:<br />
<ul>
<li>Great God, Attend While Zion Sings <i>by</i> Isaac Watts</li>
<li>To God the Father, God the Son<i> also by</i> Isaac Watts, who apparently liked this tune</li>
<li>My favorite: Assembled in our school once more <i>by</i> Dr. L. Mason</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5k-wWE9gbnw/WoDCTHQjr7I/AAAAAAAAII0/ukHdyW32yWML6MEa-24xhbuqYTlbRgsjQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-11%2Bat%2B5.22.36%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="778" height="287" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5k-wWE9gbnw/WoDCTHQjr7I/AAAAAAAAII0/ukHdyW32yWML6MEa-24xhbuqYTlbRgsjQCLcBGAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-11%2Bat%2B5.22.36%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
My first thought was that Edson might have composed the hymn with the famous Bridgewater Normal School in mind. But history happens in order, and even though that school (now our employer, <b><a href="https://www.bridgew.edu/">BSU</a></b>) is old, it was not founded until 20 years after Edson had died, far away in Woodstock, New York.<br />
<br />
My second thought was to wonder whether this piece had been played in our church during the composer's lifetime. If so, it would not have been on the historic organ used today, which was constructed for our third (1848) sanctuary in 1852.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwM3UZGjHaU/WoDX_wAsu3I/AAAAAAAAIJE/YNh4UGMojdsA_jkPqNPUtMA6DusbpH_EACLcBGAs/s1600/organbyphyllis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="901" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwM3UZGjHaU/WoDX_wAsu3I/AAAAAAAAIJE/YNh4UGMojdsA_jkPqNPUtMA6DusbpH_EACLcBGAs/s400/organbyphyllis.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drawing of the <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">E. & G. G. Hook Opus 132 (1852) organ hangs in the Conservatory (music room) of our Bridgewater home, Cloverfield. The name of the artist "Phyllis" appears in the lower right; the artist Phyllis Packard was a long-time member of the church, in which her daughter Nancy served as music director.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-36285335128209057152017-12-23T09:31:00.003-08:002021-12-14T12:02:35.461-08:00Triangle House?The teller shuddered when I handed her the check, which I was depositing to cover the cost of renovations in the kitchen <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/ourhouse.htm">our Bridgewater home</a></b>. When we bought the home in 2002, we arranged for structural repairs in the kitchen before we even moved in. The collapsing ceiling had, in fact, made our purchase of the house possible: we later found out that many of our friends had been interested in the house until they saw that ceiling. Once the major work was done, we turned our attention to the rest of the house, eventually making it a "rainbow house" inside, as we steadily remodeled each room.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mQIjxB7WJc/Wj5yDPoMlKI/AAAAAAAAICQ/Ba3JTf1KVVE-uZrjV-MQmfUn0H1IPvPvACLcBGAs/s1600/beforekitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mQIjxB7WJc/Wj5yDPoMlKI/AAAAAAAAICQ/Ba3JTf1KVVE-uZrjV-MQmfUn0H1IPvPvACLcBGAs/s320/beforekitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our kitchen, the "before" picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, our attention returned to the kitchen and its <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092359/reference">Full House</a></i></b>-era cabinets, and this involved some banking. Back to the teller ...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jmgjizElO9s/Wj50CMgK2VI/AAAAAAAAICc/f1Hjm7QJxVMho34OqXMrD1SNABYL6cG2gCLcBGAs/s1600/fullhousekitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="800" height="302" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jmgjizElO9s/Wj50CMgK2VI/AAAAAAAAICc/f1Hjm7QJxVMho34OqXMrD1SNABYL6cG2gCLcBGAs/s400/fullhousekitchen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I never really watched this show, but when we did catch an episode a few years ago, Pam noticed the cabinets right away.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The reason she was startled, she said, was that she had grown up in the house. Her family had owned it for 22 years, and they had sold it to the woman from whom we bought it. I mentioned our current project with the cabinets, which she of course remembered. I was pleased to meet yet another person connected to the house -- I think it might have been her mother who had a similar reaction to a check I wrote at the local grocery a few years ago, and we have bumped into a number of former residents over the years.<br />
<br />
And then she asked if we had noticed anything happening in the house. I am not a follower of the paranormal, but somehow I immediately knew what she meant, and said that we had not. Because that is what I thought.<br />
<br />
The teller -- who was training a new teller at the time, a man who stood silently by as we had this discussion -- related stories of her family's experience. Most notable was her brother, who slept with a baseball bat for fear of the ghosts in his room. The family had eventually hired a medium to put him at ease.<br />
<br />
I reported this to Pam when I got home, and she found it interesting, repeating that she does not believe in ghosts, and had not seen any. Whenever I think of ghosts, I am reminded of C.S. Lewis, who asserted that seeing and believing are not the same thing. He had seen ghosts and did not believe in them, while a good friend of his was a firm believer who had never seen one. I have never seen one and do not believe in them (I think), but I do not doubt those who see them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IcgMHBvt210/Wj6PRl9DQmI/AAAAAAAAICs/n0g3qeT2_HYPte89LI4i6_8-vLp7Tf6jwCLcBGAs/s1600/greenghost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="340" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IcgMHBvt210/Wj6PRl9DQmI/AAAAAAAAICs/n0g3qeT2_HYPte89LI4i6_8-vLp7Tf6jwCLcBGAs/s200/greenghost.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
When I mentioned all of this to our kid -- 20 years old and home for the holidays -- they reported having seen one when they were about age 7. If they were sleeping in our room (which was often the case), they would see the ghosts walking back and forth in the upstairs hallway. JUST WHERE THE TELLER TOLD ME HER BROTHER SAW THEM. <shiver></shiver><br />
<br />
We have since reconfigured that space, so that no wall divides the hall from the room. And we have a light fixture there that is new and professionally installed but sometimes simply does not work. Inexplicably. I am not sure I believe in ghosts, but I do believe in pranks.<br />
<br />
As I was wondering whether the ghosts looked like my most consistent mental image of ghosts -- from the Alfred Hitchcock book <i>ghost</i>written by Robert Arthur -- Pam reminded me of the obvious: whatever kids in the house have seen, we are deep in the <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2013/10/bridgewater-triangle-premiere.html">Bridgewater Triangle</a></b>, and only a few steps from a famously haunted dormitory.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sp5Yi9XB5n8/Wj6SLmfqN_I/AAAAAAAAIC4/rdBDHLf47AwZEVu9Z2x_3hzV7s6togZ4gCLcBGAs/s1600/bridgewatertrianglemap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sp5Yi9XB5n8/Wj6SLmfqN_I/AAAAAAAAIC4/rdBDHLf47AwZEVu9Z2x_3hzV7s6togZ4gCLcBGAs/s320/bridgewatertrianglemap.png" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maps: <b><i><a href="https://www.paranormal-encyclopedia.com/b/bridgewater-triangle/">Paranormal Encyclopedia</a></i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-55346945266566294672017-07-19T12:16:00.004-07:002023-07-01T03:29:27.994-07:00The Bridgewaters Project Makes the Big Time<span style="font-size: medium;">Last week a reporter from the local newspaper (<i>The Brockton Enterprise</i>) visited with us in our home for an interview about The Bridgewaters Project. The article, with some fun photos was published in print yesterday, and online today. <b><a href="https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2017/07/19/bridgewater-couple-visits-bridgewaters-all/20114034007/">Read all about it!</a></b></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOfPR8_MfAXoqLyPHDv5sBoSNaXmlZ-T-ww7Ihjn2Rdq2E5Uf8yn9kovwRTXgCktFHpVUmfrQSKD7YzWWU_Nu7sZ3sIg3LSJFTmW2Vi7Qq4IXvfP3-1Up4mbZFwX5_Iq_niBjx8TpACtETBHy7Lnu8ovE92DZ595Z41ATY0TvMj0JXfgNahwvoGerzWM/s1342/bridgewaters-enterprise.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1342" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOfPR8_MfAXoqLyPHDv5sBoSNaXmlZ-T-ww7Ihjn2Rdq2E5Uf8yn9kovwRTXgCktFHpVUmfrQSKD7YzWWU_Nu7sZ3sIg3LSJFTmW2Vi7Qq4IXvfP3-1Up4mbZFwX5_Iq_niBjx8TpACtETBHy7Lnu8ovE92DZ595Z41ATY0TvMj0JXfgNahwvoGerzWM/w400-h294/bridgewaters-enterprise.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Photo: Marc Vasconcellos, who has taken photos of James<br />in a variety of contexts before stopping by for this one!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>July 2023 addendum</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As much as we continue to enjoy our Bridgewater and the others we continue to explore, this might be our last full year in Cloverfield (as we call our 1885ish Bridgewater home). As we downsize to Whaling House in Fairhaven, we will be parting with some of the Bridgewater treasures in this hallway. For this reason -- and to allow others to enjoy them online -- we have gathered the images in a <b><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhayesboh/albums/72177720309424437" target="_blank">Flickr folder called Bridgewater Hall</a> </b>(not to be confused with the <b><a href="https://www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bridgewater Hall performance venue</a></b>, which is in our <b><a href="https://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2020/05/bridgewater-canal.html" target="_blank">London-area travel dreams</a></b>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhayesboh/albums/72177720309424437" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCiWrzwT4Xvv_4ypLoQYFlnifB4tj3_NPeOijsI1kahSNoT23Elf8m3oMMK74d-z0zG4fpmb5Pv62jw1eZdz4LsZViQhQ28hNeBafyOl8Ta_-0t_GMS2ekc2n8dMcPtmY73QmVYGNVbSbngdIfcJFI-xmJxC62klzSdwHluS6UkM9o64mM_jY7y_qHYU/w400-h240/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-01%20at%206.13.45%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-19008624032296088642017-07-08T13:23:00.000-07:002017-07-08T13:23:02.771-07:00Finding these BridgewatersFinally, I made a map of the Bridgewaters included in this blog and some Bridgewaters we hope to reach in the future.<br />
<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1Ftna9zTfpPjwT19wADYj71ASrgg" width="640"></iframe><br />
Blue marks places we have been, red marks our #goals.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-25098989496466834262017-02-18T16:14:00.001-08:002021-12-14T12:03:54.211-08:00Nuevo BridgewaterToday we were on the Cape of Cod for the first time in several months, to redeem some much-appreciated gift cards at the Trader Joe's in Hyannis. A long drive with a short walk seemed the best way to enjoy a sunny afternoon without breaking my commitment to rest the tendons that hold my left foot in place.<br />
<br />
As we were getting ready to leave our place in Fairhaven, I thought to myself, "I wonder if there is a Bridgewater on Cape Cod." I was remembering such non-town Bridgewaters as the <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2016/04/bridgewater-falls-most-generic-place-in.html">shopping center we visited in Ohio</a></b> last year and a <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2013/06/bridgewater-at-carvel-beach.html">subdivision in Maryland</a></b> where we toured a model home in 2013. As soon as the words were forming in my mind, they reminded me of the obvious: our own <a href="http://www.bridgew.edu/ccs/bsu-cape-cod">Bridgewater State University Cape Cod</a> mini-campus.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2476.1154546422526!2d-70.1985106850025!3d41.66323497923983!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x89fb3a2b006ddfff%3A0xc4834bee14c4bb7c!2sBridgewater+State+University+Cape+Cod!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1487453538188" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br />
We had not been to campus before, but knew that it was just a simple building, not yet open on weekends. As it finds its academic footing, I'm not sure whether I will ever have a professional gig there, but I have helped to lead a number of geography field camps on Cape Cod and once published a photo essay about this amazing slice of physical and human geography. So perhaps it will provide an excuse for some future geography gigs in one of my favorite areas.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: sky, tree and outdoor" height="400" src="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16640886_10101377570664486_6204397729616778702_n.jpg?oh=1df7849d414e6812009ea3caddaf013e&oe=594C339A" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I set up this photo to capture most of the open space on campus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: sky, tree and outdoor" height="400" src="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16832114_10101377570774266_7105346891154785402_n.jpg?oh=e146917c01c23952694b7291858f65dd&oe=593F537F" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A retired school, but sadly it no longer has a gym, though I had<br />
suggested keeping it for <b><a href="http://www.bridgew.edu/earthview">EarthView</a></b>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As she usually does when we are in the car together, Pam played DJ, and selected my very favorite CD -- <i><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/09/manu-chao-clandestino-culshaw">Clandestino</a></b></i> by the enigma Manu Chao. There is simply no better driving music, and it was perfect for zooming home along that Cape highway. Enjoy:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rSEUH4KRfN8" width="560"></iframe>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-55973316778829061172016-04-24T07:11:00.002-07:002016-04-24T07:16:00.573-07:00Bridgewater Falls - the most generic place in AmericaIn the late 1980s and into 1990 we lived in Oxford, Ohio, a college town (Miami University) near the Indiana border, and about 30 miles north of the <b><a href="http://geocafes.blogspot.com/2016/04/roebling-point-books-cafe-covington-ky.html">Roebling Bridge</a></b>, which connects Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky.<br />
<br />
This weekend we returned <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">to the tri-state area for the wedding of a friend from our days in the Buckeye State. We were completely disoriented by all the changes we found since our time here. Miami University, along with the town itself, had exploded in new buildings. We were excited to see that there was a brand new public library, though. There was also a Chick-fil-A, something that ordinarily would escape any interest from us, except that during our drive from Oxford to Cincinnati we spotted a billboard for said restaurant indicating two nearby locations: Oxford, and Bridgewater Falls. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Once we checked in to our hotel room (where a gift bag from the grooms awaited us) we Googled Bridgewater Falls and discovered it was a shopping center (or, more specifically, a "lifestyles shopping centre") in the nearby town of Fairfield. It also appeared to have only national chain-type stores. It didn't look like the kind of place we would seek out, unless, as James pointed out we were looking to appoint a dorm room. In other words, it is a great place to look for stuff you already know how to find.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, it is called Bridgewater and we were nearby so a pilgrimage was called for. If there ever was a place with "no there there," this is it. Stores include\ Target; Staples; JCPenney; Bed, Bath and Beyond; Panera Bread, Chiles, and of course, Chick-fil-A. We walked around and took a few pictures. It did have fountains and geese at the entrance, but there were no local shops, and no place that we had any interest in going into.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-45minruKc40/VxzDjt63j6I/AAAAAAAACaA/sWE6rrwXBK0/s640/blogger-image-1288167689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-45minruKc40/VxzDjt63j6I/AAAAAAAACaA/sWE6rrwXBK0/s400/blogger-image-1288167689.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span>Near the main entrance. That's the Chick-fil-A on the left.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dy4UfHI4gTA/VxzDi-5Q9hI/AAAAAAAACZ8/svB-FTsc9xM/s640/blogger-image--545163848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dy4UfHI4gTA/VxzDi-5Q9hI/AAAAAAAACZ8/svB-FTsc9xM/s400/blogger-image--545163848.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Another view from the entrance.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XiLcJiM_FHU/VxzDh9CNtgI/AAAAAAAACZ4/j9NAMSAtShE/s640/blogger-image--1251288231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XiLcJiM_FHU/VxzDh9CNtgI/AAAAAAAACZ4/j9NAMSAtShE/s400/blogger-image--1251288231.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Could be anywhere </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuDTqAsFCsU/VxzSSRX_3CI/AAAAAAAAGJo/tagiK7E3RMkURHeHKCY-Ca5IO34PgJFJwCLcB/s1600/bridgewaterfalls-stores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuDTqAsFCsU/VxzSSRX_3CI/AAAAAAAAGJo/tagiK7E3RMkURHeHKCY-Ca5IO34PgJFJwCLcB/s400/bridgewaterfalls-stores.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Our first-ever blogspotter award (as yet unspecified, but it will be local to the real Bridgewater) will go to whomever can identify a national chain retailer that is not represented within one mile of this spot!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e3WbLSCRj4o/VxzT3MYxMJI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/E6QQ761uW8Q0e_gkE6tWxFxmB2tDSinCQCLcB/s1600/bridgewaterfalls-rotary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e3WbLSCRj4o/VxzT3MYxMJI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/E6QQ761uW8Q0e_gkE6tWxFxmB2tDSinCQCLcB/s400/bridgewaterfalls-rotary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
At least it has a rotary.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ywLGs5goYUc/VxzT-OVtXVI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/bMvqOqQmmIk1fmlGv1LVhk4tVMb7w-yUwCLcB/s1600/bridgewaterfalls-experience.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ywLGs5goYUc/VxzT-OVtXVI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/bMvqOqQmmIk1fmlGv1LVhk4tVMb7w-yUwCLcB/s400/bridgewaterfalls-experience.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We have already experienced it ... so you don't have to.</div>
YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-43289128056297837702015-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:002017-07-13T09:01:00.888-07:00Golden Bridgewater<b><i>There's No Bridgewater in Colorado. Except that there is.</i></b><br />
<br />
Followers of this blog will know that our ambition is to visit every place we can get to that is named Bridgewater, and that this has so far included towns by that name in many U.S. states. We hope eventually to get to Bridgewater Nova Scotia and of course to the original Bridgewater in Jolly Ol' England.<br />
<br />
When planning a family outing to the Front Range region of Colorado and (relatively) nearby parts of the Great Plains, we of course started scouring the maps for towns named for our own. We found no such towns in Colorado, Wyoming, or Nebraska.<br />
<br />
Careful readers will remember, however, that non-municipal places also count, such as the <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2013/06/bridgewater-at-carvel-beach.html">subdivision we visited in Maryland in 2013</a></b>. So the Bridgewater Grill in Golden, Colorado went into the "must-do" column for this vacation. We are delighted that it did, not only because it turned out to be a very nice place, but also because of the aplomb with which an old friend joined us in the discovery.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2526.46982209511!2d-105.22307238560948!3d39.756231827497245!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x876b9ad266570651%3A0xbdb028b1a9a24d38!2sBridgewater+Grill!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1437260553042" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br />
<br />
Lori is a friend from our undergraduate days who has been living in Denver for some while. We were very glad that she was able to join us for the first day of our visit, first taking us to one of her favorite Mexican restaurants and then to the wonderful Denver Art Museum (tagline: DAM, That's a Great Museum). In the early evening, we decided it was time to go on a Bridgewaters Project adventure. From the address, Lori guessed that it might be in the beautiful old Golden Hotel, and she was correct (though an employee who answered the phone is somehow getting to work without noticing the hotel that surrounds it).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kw0qZrlYFVk/VasRTqvdHlI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/U1Q84lvZZ3o/s1600/dsx015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kw0qZrlYFVk/VasRTqvdHlI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/U1Q84lvZZ3o/s400/dsx015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
At this point, I should mention that Lori is a clown. Really: after regular college, she went to clown college, and has been a professional clown in a variety of settings, including therapeutic. But even when she is not officially "in clown," she is a wonderful prankster, and it comes naturally to her. So when the hostess greeted us, Lori asked her "Have you heard of the Bridgewaters Project?" in a way that really implied she should have known about this blog. None of the staff seemed to know quite what to make of us, but they were very gracious as we proceeded to take pictures of stationery and pose for photographs in places that normal guests would not.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5KK-PJbiTEw/VasRqKlB46I/AAAAAAAAFYY/UV6muRG0yC4/s1600/dsx012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5KK-PJbiTEw/VasRqKlB46I/AAAAAAAAFYY/UV6muRG0yC4/s400/dsx012.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LtoR: Blogger, Blogger, Promoter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Having had rather a late lunch, we did not order full meals at Bridgewater Grill, but we do hope to arrive hungry next time, because everything looked delicious, and we very much enjoyed the snacks we did have. James had a Caesar Salad that was delicious and much closer than usual to the original recipe. Paloma and Lori had desserts and Pam had some tomato bisque. We all shared bites of those desserts, and they were fabulous. The best peach cobbler we ever tasted as a matter of fact!<br />
<br />
Our arrival in Denver had been on an unusually wet day -- and we had a bit of a downpour just as we had gotten to Bridgewater Grill. For this reason, we did not avail ourselves of the lovely outdoor dining area that overlooks a small ravine and Clear Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River. I went to the window to have a look at the scene though, just as I was wondering aloud how this place got its name. As soon as I clicked this photo, I had my answer.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmIwfYbx_ko/VasTRa-OacI/AAAAAAAAFYk/mLkuB0ALCz0/s1600/dsx014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmIwfYbx_ko/VasTRa-OacI/AAAAAAAAFYk/mLkuB0ALCz0/s400/dsx014.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's this place called again?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We left the restaurant very satisfied, and determined to relieve the staff of their puzzlement by sending a link to this blog post. Our adventure ended, we made our way back into Denver and did a few errands on the way to our hotel. Lori pointed out a gas station where she had recently had outstanding service, and we pulled in. While the three of us sat in her vehicle, we were startled by a rapping on the window.<br />
<br />
It was Lori with the attendant, a young woman who put on her best fan-girl persona to ask us, "Are you really part of the Bridgewaters Project?"<br />
<br />
After watching our prankster friend work the restaurant staff, we ourselves were pranked!<br />
<br />
<b>Lagniappe</b><br />
<br />
The Bridgewater Grill is not a town, but at least it is a place. A discovery later in our travels pushes the scope of this blog even a bit further. At one of the many cute little shops in the Old Town section of Ft. Collins, we found this candle. It is the <b><a href="http://www.bridgewatercandles.com/eec/Catalog.aspx?pageid=15&nt=p&sub=00900-BDW">eponymous variety</a></b> of a <b><a href="http://www.bridgewatercandles.com/">candle company</a></b> by the same name. It will live in James' office, since he could not not buy it, even though Pam's scent sensitivities preclude using it at Casa Hayes-Boh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nlw0qJRMws/VasUw7HkeiI/AAAAAAAAFY0/mlp7vq1zQrA/s1600/BW106004S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nlw0qJRMws/VasUw7HkeiI/AAAAAAAAFY0/mlp7vq1zQrA/s400/BW106004S.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the bridge. Notice the water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-77744744886620279032014-08-20T16:43:00.002-07:002016-04-24T05:24:25.543-07:00Back to the Hills of Bridgewater (NY)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4spSCu958tc/U_UpeIcXfnI/AAAAAAAAEXs/jpC0dtCYOik/s1600/bridgewater-ny-ma.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4spSCu958tc/U_UpeIcXfnI/AAAAAAAAEXs/jpC0dtCYOik/s1600/bridgewater-ny-ma.png" height="241" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I-90 is the driveway of our summers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Tempis fugit</i> (time flies), as they say, and today's post is a reminder of just how fast. It is difficult to believe that we started this little project almost five years ago, and just as difficult to believe that it has been four years since <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2010/07/village-of-bridgewater-new-york-july-4.html">our visit to Bridgewater, New York</a></b>. Our return was just in time, it turns out, as Bridgewater is about to disappear!<br>
<br>
That's an exaggeration, of course. Bridgewater is a village within the town of Bridgewater. It comprises just about one of its twenty-some square miles, and includes its main highway intersection, all town offices, and close to half the population. Voters recently decided that little was to be gained by continuing the overlapping jurisdictions of such small units of government, and so the village (with its included hamlets) will cease to be separately administered at the end of 2014.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P6yKg59kDik/U_UtUiydQpI/AAAAAAAAEX0/7S4PYgF13tM/s1600/lakechalet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P6yKg59kDik/U_UtUiydQpI/AAAAAAAAEX0/7S4PYgF13tM/s1600/lakechalet.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: <b><a href="http://www.lakechalet.com/">Lake Chalet</a></b>; we took almost no photos during our Bridgewater getaway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As with our 2010 visit, we found ourselves in Bridgewater in connection with picking up our daughter from her home-away-from-home <b><a href="http://unirondack.org/">camp in the Adirondacks</a></b>. This time, however, we decided to spend a couple of days in the area (a bit south of the area, actually) for a few days. When making a plan, we eschewed the urban temptations of Utica (that is, brewery tours) and chose a pet-friendly get-away with our <a href="http://perrylaperra.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">blog dog</a>, most of whose adventures are vicarious at best. It did not take us long to realize that the perfect place to go would be <b><a href="http://www.lakechalet.com/">Lake Chalet</a></b>, just north of the village center.<br>
<br>
This family-run and family-friendly property surrounds a stocked, six-acre lake and provides every level of rusticity. Visitors can choose to camp, hookup their own campers, rent a cabin, rent a motel room, or rent an efficiency. We chose the last of these options, enjoying the convenience of cooking for ourselves in a very comfortable room with a view of the lake and nearby mountains. Just perfect! We saw people enjoying all of the other options (including the fishing), and we even rented a little boat the second day to keep up my rowing skills!<br>
<br>
During our return, we delved into the history of the town just a bit more, though we did not get a chance to visit the local historical society. When we do -- as I am sure we will return some day -- I want to ask about the possible Tory origins of the town. Various online guides mention that it was named for the Duke of Bridgewater, and that it was settled and established in 1788 and 1797, respectively. To be named for a British noble in the early days of the revolution and republic ... well, there must be a story.<br>
<br>
One interesting story surrounds the location of the settlement, at the intersection of what would be Route 8 (a regional highway) and Route 20 (a national highway). The former originated as a plank road, which is exactly what it sounds like -- a road paved with boards! Apparently these were common in several states in the decades preceding the Civil War. As Daniel Klein and John Majewski have explained in <b><a href="http://www.uctc.net/papers/075.pdf">Plank Fever</a></b>, such roads were funded by investors who believed exaggerated (and fabricated) claims of the longevity of this peculiar form of pavement. The movement was tolerated -- even encouraged -- because it allowed for private investment in lieu of what really should have been publicly-financed infrastructure. Until it unraveled, that is, almost literally.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-42796860980564560012013-10-23T03:47:00.003-07:002022-07-06T08:46:36.577-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest - Bridgewater Triangle Premiere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_5vcJmCpdc/UmRPvg87r3I/AAAAAAAADW8/jI6YofuzLcc/s1600/bridgewater-triangle-stubs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_5vcJmCpdc/UmRPvg87r3I/AAAAAAAADW8/jI6YofuzLcc/s320/bridgewater-triangle-stubs.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Just as the <b><a href="http://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/exhibits/mapparium">Mapparium</a></b> in Boston is the perfect date venue for us (a globe in a library), so too was the world premiere of <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://thebridgewatertriangledocumentary.com/">The Bridgewater Triangle</a></i> the perfect date event for this librarian-geographer couple. Not only does it include our adopted home town in its title, but it also features maps and <b><a href="http://thebridgewatertriangledocumentary.com/additional-resources/">books</a></b> throughout, with at least one direct mention of a <b><a href="http://liberrybooks.blogspot.com/">library</a></b>. And of course, attending the premiere was almost mandatory for purposes of <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/">this life-long blog project</a></b>, which after all seeks to cover -- eventually -- all Bridgewater-related phenomena, in this world or any other.<br>
<br>
As I mentioned in <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2013/03/isosceles-or-scalene.html">Isosceles or Scaline</a> </b>back in March we were both intrigued and skeptical about this film, but when we learned about its premiere, we bought our tickets right away. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the work. We do not watch a lot of film or television about the paranormal, and most of what we have seen either takes itself far too seriously or suffers from laughable production values, or both.<br>
<br>
<i>The Bridgewater Triangle</i> avoids both of these tendencies; it really is presented as a documentary about modern folklore, rather than an investigation of the phenomena themselves. Throughout the film, the focus is on the stories <i>as stories</i>, though of course some are sensationalized a bit and the case is steadily built that "something" might be a common cause of all the strange creatures and occurrences that arise from these stories.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yR4thl4YRJo/UmepKpRcgZI/AAAAAAAADYY/qeaulL4doCc/s1600/hockomock+swamp+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yR4thl4YRJo/UmepKpRcgZI/AAAAAAAADYY/qeaulL4doCc/s400/hockomock+swamp+1.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
The film begins with a map, and then with the words of author Loren Coleman, who coined the term "Bridgewater Triangle" in his landmark cryptozoology tome <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931044058/firstparishchu03" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Mysterious America</a> back in 1983 (there is also a new <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1416527362/firstparishchu03">expanded version</a></b>). When he first started researching the folklore of paranormal events in North America, he noticed that many of the stories did emerge from the <b><a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/conservation/acec/hockomock-swamp.html">Hockomock Swamp</a></b> (the largest wetland in New England -- spooky in folklore but vital in ecology and water-supply protection) and areas to its south. He eventually identified a roughly triangular region encompassing some 200 square miles and all or part of about a dozen towns. From among the possible names for this region, Bridgewater suggested itself because when he first heard about the Hockomock Swamp, he associated it with Bridgewater, and he quickly learned that there were three such towns, in a small triangle of their own. (As I explained in one of this blog's earliest posts, "<b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2009/12/east-bridgewater-and-west-bridgewater.html">The Bridgewaters</a></b>" have been thought of as a trio since North Bridgewater was renamed Brockton in 1874.)<br>
<br>
In the Q&A afterward -- for Mr. Coleman was one of many paranormal investigators on hand for the event -- he further explained that he just has a knack for places, events and phenomena names that get attention, and Bridgewater Triangle is just the best-known of several examples. At this point, he claims that it is the third most-cited paranormal Triangle on Earth, after the <b><a href="http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bermuda-triangle.htm">Bermuda Triangle</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/column.php?id=147068">Devil's Triangle</a></b> in Japan, exactly opposite the Bermuda Triangle in terms of longitude, but at the same latitude north of the equator. (That term "Devil's Triangle" can also be used as a <b><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageseas/captain-side-bermuda.html">synonym for the Bermuda Triangle</a></b> or to refer to an area of particularly <b><a href="http://www.devilstriangletn.com/">twisty highways in Tennessee</a></b>.)<br>
<br>
An interesting aspect of the documentary is the frequent reference to the violent history of conflict between Native Americans and English Settlers in the region, which was most brutally experienced during the <b><a href="http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/horsemusket/kingphilip/">King Philip's War </a></b>of 1675-1676, in which 500 English and 3,000 Wampanoag were killed. Some see that violence as the cause of subsequent disturbances, citing an "Indian Curse," while others see the war itself as evidence of dark forces that have affected the region for millennia.<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://baycircuit.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/BCT-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://baycircuit.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/BCT-logo.png"></a></div>
The film also mentioned quite a few Wampanoag - Algonquin names, including Nunckatessett. This happens to be the name of a trail project James is working on with students and others in the region, with the intention of bringing people closer to the land throughout The Bridgewaters (more to come on this project as it unfolds -- the <b><a href="http://www.baycircuit.org/pdf/section12.pdf">Nunckatessett Greenway is a developing part</a></b> of the <b><a href="http://baycircuit.org/wordpress/">Bay Circuit Trail</a></b>).<br>
<br>
We have learned over the years that university bureaucracies can be almost as mysterious as the Triangle and as impenetrable as the Hockomock swamp. The location of the world premiere provides an excellent example. The film opened to an enthusiastic crowd of 500 people in the main auditorium at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. That campus is <i>near</i> the triangle but not in it, and certainly does not bear its name, but it was the only campus whose bureaucracy the producers could navigate in time to release the film.<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIZo9cwbW9s/UmRoeweeN8I/AAAAAAAADXM/sP4wCbYCu5w/s1600/bridgewater-triangle-dartmouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIZo9cwbW9s/UmRoeweeN8I/AAAAAAAADXM/sP4wCbYCu5w/s320/bridgewater-triangle-dartmouth.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
Fortunately, they did eventually find the right connection, and <i>The Bridgewater Triangle</i> will be coming "home" to Bridgewater very soon. We plan to see it again!<br>
<br>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bridgewater Triangle</i> @ Bridgewater</span></b><br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">October 28, 7:30pm</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Horace Mann Auditorium<br>Bridgewater State University</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tickets $8/person</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students and children free</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For tickets call the Box Office at <a href="tel:508-531-1321" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">508-531-1321</a> or email boxoffice@bridgew.edu.</span>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-39841360178603149602013-07-11T17:15:00.005-07:002022-07-06T08:48:36.965-07:00Bridgewater Film Fest - Swimming to Bridgewater <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(With apologies to the late, great <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094089/combined">Spalding Gray</a></b>.)</span><br />
<br />
As part of one of our <i>other</i> life-long <a href="http://perrylaperra.blogspot.com/">blogging projects</a>, we recently re-watched the 1990 film <b><a href="http://allnoni.blogspot.com/2013/07/mermaids-noni-makes-splash.html"><i>Mermaids</i>, starring Winona Ryder</a></b> and some other people.<br />
<br />
We had watched the film before -- years ago -- and had forgotten an obvious link to this project. Our daughter -- who is quite the young geographer/librarian -- had remembered this scene from early in the film:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FH7MCryJ0w/Ud9DDnaU_bI/AAAAAAAADI8/FI07IhFGBp0/s1600/mermaids-map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FH7MCryJ0w/Ud9DDnaU_bI/AAAAAAAADI8/FI07IhFGBp0/s400/mermaids-map.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Yes, that is soap on Cher's finger, as her character cannot <i>wait</i> to get her hands on an atlas to begin locational analysis for her family's next departure from love and lust gone wrong. The scale of this map is small, so that viewers will not notice that their destination in Eastport, Massachusetts is entirely fictional.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iuntj8uPORY/Ud9KiDMrh9I/AAAAAAAADJU/K3IhI4VQh3w/s1600/bridgewater-mermaids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iuntj8uPORY/Ud9KiDMrh9I/AAAAAAAADJU/K3IhI4VQh3w/s400/bridgewater-mermaids.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
<br />
Using a more detailed (larger-scale) map, hand-model Pam shows where the Flax family is really headed. Although the on-screen credits thank only the people of Rockport, Massachusetts, IMDb lists a half-dozen towns in which "Eastport" was created. It is a composite of idealized New England scenes, and although we have been in every one of the the towns shown, almost nothing was familiar to us, except possibly the lake at Borderlands Park in Easton.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="550" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=204907520727924288475.0004e144d715d9cdf6576&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=42.315909,-70.999146&spn=1.117016,1.170044&z=9&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=204907520727924288475.0004e144d715d9cdf6576&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=42.315909,-70.999146&spn=1.117016,1.170044&z=9&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Mermaids</a> in a larger map</small><br />
<br />
The name of the fictional town -- Eastport -- and the heavy use of the real town of Rockport both suggest a more nautical location than the one indicated by the soapy finger of Mrs. Flax. The plot of the film is not affected, though, as the mermaids of the title barely get their flippers wet.<br />
<br />
A bit of fiction is included in the location credits themselves. Although many town names in Massachusetts begin with the cardinal directions, the 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts include a solitary Easton. It is all very lovely, but local belief is that North Easton is the better half. Something like 85 percent of Eastonians claim residence.<br />
<br />
The "before" picture for this film is Big Lake, Texas, and although we have been all around that state, we have not yet had the pleasure of taking in Big Lake.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-74390496815844608462013-06-24T04:43:00.000-07:002013-06-26T15:08:55.703-07:00Bridgewater at Carvel Beach<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>THIS ENTRY CO-WRITTEN BY PAM & JAMES</b></span><br><br>Prior to our recent trip to Maryland, I (Pam) "Googled" Bridgewater Maryland to see what would come up, and found a link for<a href="http://www.kochhomes.com/community/bridgewater-carvel-beach.htm"> <b>Bridgewater at Carvel Beach</b></a>, a new-ish subdivision in Anne Arundel County, whose website might lead one to believe that it is located in an area that is perhaps less industrial than this picture indicates. We took this photo -- it is not an angle that would be featured in the brochure!<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQKM8tX5HjA/UceMyq_MewI/AAAAAAAAA4o/KSIY_1VcRgY/s1600/stacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQKM8tX5HjA/UceMyq_MewI/AAAAAAAAA4o/KSIY_1VcRgY/s400/stacks.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The material in the foreground is actually a good thing. To protect the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland actually enforces very stringent requirements to control erosion from active construction sites. Massachusetts has similar requirements, but nobody seems to know or care how to use them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The smoke stacks at Wagner Station make it look more like it belongs in the opening credits of <i>The Simpsons</i>. Aside from this view, we found that everything possible was being done to distance the development from its surroundings.<br>
<br>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Carvel+Beach,+Riviera+Beach,+MD&aq=0&oq=carvel+beach,&sll=42.036922,-71.683501&sspn=2.039899,5.410767&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Carvel+Beach,+Riviera+Beach,+Anne+Arundel,+Maryland&t=h&ll=39.170529,-76.531577&spn=0.016635,0.018239&z=15&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br>
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Carvel+Beach,+Riviera+Beach,+MD&aq=0&oq=carvel+beach,&sll=42.036922,-71.683501&sspn=2.039899,5.410767&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Carvel+Beach,+Riviera+Beach,+Anne+Arundel,+Maryland&t=h&ll=39.170529,-76.531577&spn=0.016635,0.018239&z=15" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>
<br>
<br>
The development is much smaller than we imagined -- only 35 units at the end of a local street -- and was mostly sold out when we arrived. Read more about the development in the <b><a href="http://kochhomes.com/pdf/Bridgewater_Builder_Profile_2011.pdf">faux news article</a></b> placed in the Baltimore <i>Sun. </i>We did talk to a Realtor who was representing the development; she was on the verge of selling the model home (a <a href="http://www.kochhomes.com/styles/mchenry.htm"><b>McHenry</b></a> style).<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SltFcvTBWZM/UceUSfWFWMI/AAAAAAAAA44/_l9qtfPo1-k/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SltFcvTBWZM/UceUSfWFWMI/AAAAAAAAA44/_l9qtfPo1-k/s400/kitchen.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One thing about building thousands of homes -- the builders have time to figure out what really works for kitchen layouts. This kitchen feels more spacious <b><a href="http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/ourhouse.htm">than ours</a></b>, though it is smaller, and it was actually <i>designed</i>, so that we can imagine <b><a href="http://nuevareceta.blogspot.com/">cooking</a></b> and entertaining very effectively in this space.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We walked through the house and found it to be spacious, but without all the extra (and in our opinion, unnecessary) rooms. For instance, the main entrance opened to an open living/dining area and an adjacent kitchen with no additional dining space. There was no separate family room, although it did have a finished basement. There were a lot of bedrooms (five), more than most families would need, but this would not be the case without the optional third floor. The landscaping of the home had the same look as just about every other house built in the country since the late 1990s -- low-maintenance foundation plantings with a bit of color and a lot of lawn chemicals.<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UOVY5ogWDl8/UcgtyfMaGHI/AAAAAAAAA5I/QYYBiUL7b6o/s1600/pillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UOVY5ogWDl8/UcgtyfMaGHI/AAAAAAAAA5I/QYYBiUL7b6o/s200/pillow.jpg" width="176"></a></div>
The decor was pure Model Home, also known as "Unique, Like Everyone Else" -- full of items to "personalize" spaces in a generic way. Admittedly, a geography-theme pillow worked its magic on me (James), even though it is not really <i>that</i> geographic and was probably made <b><a href="http://environmentalgeography.blogspot.com/2012/06/victorias-real-secret.html">under deplorable conditions</a></b>.<br>
<br>
If my sales resistance gives out -- and my recent <b><a href="http://environmentalgeography.blogspot.com/2013/06/blue-boat-poem.html">nautical bent</a></b> makes this a real question -- we do not have to buy the whole house. I can cause an identical bit of individual expression to be <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tropic-Paradise-Collection-Designer-Caribbean/dp/B004WMDQWQ">sent my way</a></b> with the click of a few buttons.<br>
<br>
New housing developments are designed on templates both for economies of scale in construction and for ease of resale. Selling a home depends on people being able to envision staying in it long-term and at the same time being able to sell it themselves. The monotony is broken up slightly with palettes of choices in various kinds of building finishes. In the basement of a model home, the masonry equivalent of fabric swatches allow buyers to choose bricks that range from red to reddish and stonework across a similar spectrum.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YMLo1G5_amY/UcgvSce8C8I/AAAAAAAAA5g/Q7Wn1UdcKRw/s1600/bricks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YMLo1G5_amY/UcgvSce8C8I/AAAAAAAAA5g/Q7Wn1UdcKRw/s320/bricks.jpg" width="242"></a></div>
The people who prepare model homes are detail-oriented. The "boy" room had a baseball bat in the closet, and the "girl" room was pink, down to the backpack!<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CC6TwAI-nw/UcguJ9VYymI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/O0AiEiKtIOo/s1600/backpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CC6TwAI-nw/UcguJ9VYymI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/O0AiEiKtIOo/s320/backpack.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
It looks like they are also in cahoots with the wedding-industrial complex.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B92H0lvFTfY/Ucgv24qAaUI/AAAAAAAAA5o/h58j9BH9Jfs/s1600/pearls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B92H0lvFTfY/Ucgv24qAaUI/AAAAAAAAA5o/h58j9BH9Jfs/s320/pearls.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
At this point in the Bridgewaters project, we have seen a range of realities. It was interesting to see the name invoked to sell a bit of fantasy in an otherwise gritty neighborhood.YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-35322770724365004812013-03-30T22:44:00.001-07:002016-04-24T05:24:27.013-07:00Isosceles or Scalene?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/4kyfm6VmEgc?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br>
A student recently shared this trailer for a documentary about the <b><a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2009/12/bridgewater-triangle.html">Bridgewater Triangle</a> </b>phenomenon that Pam described earlier in this project. As an active member of the community and follower of local news, it is surprising that I had not heard of the film yet, even though the trailer is six months old, and that I do not recognize<i> any</i> of the people who speak in this clip. I assume that the trailer is part of a fund-raising effort in support of a film not yet complete, but if so, it does not make a direct appeal.<br>
<br>
The YouTube account that <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ0mmiQP2a8">posted the video</a></b> appears to be that of a small production company, but no "Trailer 2" is as yet available. The producers and commentators, in fact, seem to be as elusive as the phenomena they are pursuing. I have to confess a certain skepticism of the entire enterprise, though I do admire the inclusion of a stylized locator map in the closing frames (oops -- Spoiler Alert!) that employs a very pleasing color scheme.<br>
<br>
Watch the clip to make a comparison with this more detailed map from <b><i><a href="http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/bridwrtri2010/">Cryptmundo</a></i></b>.<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/1162191407_0070.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/1162191407_0070.gif" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-33167879991375981742013-03-15T07:04:00.000-07:002013-04-25T12:22:00.076-07:00Bridgewater Film Festival - North<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HzuehWcZBFQ/UR1MfG2Jp3I/AAAAAAAAAtI/Vhd3dF_5es8/s1600/north.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HzuehWcZBFQ/UR1MfG2Jp3I/AAAAAAAAAtI/Vhd3dF_5es8/s320/north.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>
<br />
During our trip to <a href="http://bridgewatersproject.blogspot.com/2011/11/bridgewater-new-jersey-november-13-2011.html">Bridgewater, New Jersey</a> we learned that the Bridgewater Commons Mall was one of the filming locations for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110687/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1">North</a> a goofy movie of the "cute kid (North) seeks new parents" genre. We had seen this film a long time ago, but only barely remembered it, so we knew we needed to see it again in order to blog about it. It turned out to be more difficult than we expected. The film was not available on Netflix, or even, apparently on DVD, and I wound up requesting a VHS copy through interlibrary loan.<br />
<br />
The choice of the Bridgewater Mall seems to have been due to its completely generic look. It really could have been anywhere, and since we never learn where North really lived before going on his quest, this would seem appropriate. The use of stereotypical hyperbole in the rest of the film make clear what his destinations were while searching for new parents - Hawaii, Alaska, France, Texas, etc.<br />
<br />
In a bit of a subtle allusion, North stops briefly in Amish country while he considers life without electricity, Kelly McGillis (of <i>Witness) </i>plays his would-be mother here.<br />
<br />
A completely predictable ending, but good family fare.YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-68570191722191499622013-03-15T07:03:00.000-07:002013-03-18T06:59:29.436-07:00We Band of Angels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rxAMwUPatv8/UUDQ78TU6hI/AAAAAAAAAu4/oeQ7_IvxKSo/s1600/weband.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rxAMwUPatv8/UUDQ78TU6hI/AAAAAAAAAu4/oeQ7_IvxKSo/s200/weband.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Bridgewater, Massachusetts' One Book One Community Steering Committee has chosen Elizabeth Norman's book about nurses imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II as its Community Read for Fall 2013. This book has a strong connection to the town as the story of Helen "Cassie" Cassiani, whose hometown was Bridgewater, is one that is told in this work. Coincidentally, as I was finishing reading this last week, I spotted <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/us/mildred-dalton-manning-nurse-held-as-japanese-pow-dies-at-98.html?smid=pl-share">this obituary for Mildred Dalton</a> in the<i> New York Times.</i> Dalton was the last survivor of the imprisoned nurses. Interestingly, the obituary also mentions Bridgewater, New Jersey.</div>
<br />YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-28666213427401628052013-02-16T07:30:00.000-08:002021-12-14T12:05:04.709-08:00See You in the Funny Papers, Bridgewater<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDDWuY8Ww3g/T_SjPbQpSPI/AAAAAAAABUk/zOF_nIhN7Hw/s1600/monty-bridgewater.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDDWuY8Ww3g/T_SjPbQpSPI/AAAAAAAABUk/zOF_nIhN7Hw/s400/monty-bridgewater.png" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim Meddick's <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/monty/2012/07/04"><i>Monty</i> comic of July 4, 2012</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One one level, this comic is about a child prodigy with a financial bent, along the lines of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0029491/">Alex P. Keaton</a> character played by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000150/">Michael J. Fox</a>. On another level, it is part of our collection of obscure connections to the place name Bridgewater. On yet another level, it is a reference -- on Independence Day -- to the political power of those for whom manipulating markets is both a sport and a livelihood.<br />
<br />
A quick search for David McCormick reveals that in addition to his position as co-CEO of the <a href="http://www.bwater.com/default.aspx">Bridgewater Associates</a> hedge-fund, he is a <a href="http://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/david-mccormick">fellow at the Aspen Institute</a> and a former Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. He is part of the revolving door among think tanks, financial institutions, and government agencies that ensure that policy never threatens the interests of the 0.01 Percent.<br />
<br />
His partner at Bridgewater Associates finds the phrase "hedge fund" distasteful and <i>Fortune </i>-- in its <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/18/news/economy/okeefe_bridgewater.fortune/index.htm"><b>fawning profile of the company</b></a> -- seems to agree. By leveraging its financial bets at a ratio of "only" four-to-one, it is considered more staid than its peers. More careful and conservative than Mitt Romney and Baine Capital, McCormick and Bridgewater manage to make even more money. Bridgewater is able to charge its clients hefty fees because its dispassionate (i.e., amoral) investment algorithms provide protection against the fluctuations inherent in a market economy -- fluctuations that affect only the 99 percent.James Hayes-Bohananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16908738448836082865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4347597178247342900.post-34020051011380375872012-10-02T07:12:00.001-07:002013-03-18T06:59:44.454-07:00The Duke of BridgewaterI recently finished reading Mark Twain's classic tale <em>The Adventure's of Huckleberry Finn. </em>It was the first time in my 48 years that I had read it. I, therefore, had no idea that Huckleberry and Jim met up with two con men, one a snake-oil salesman, and the other a faith-healer who claimed to be the Duke of Bridgewater; and Dauphin (Louis the XVII, son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinenette) respectively who had both fallen on some hard times. Jim and Huck fall for the two and "set to majestying" Dauphin to make him feel better, which "kind of soured" the Duke. Huck figures out in short order, however, that the two are not who they said, explaining that "If I never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt tht the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SFuKy59oYyQ/UGr1M3PGOhI/AAAAAAAAAj0/uRPZjduYoW4/s1600/Dauphin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SFuKy59oYyQ/UGr1M3PGOhI/AAAAAAAAAj0/uRPZjduYoW4/s320/Dauphin.JPG" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Duke of "Bilgewater" shakes hands "Looy the Seventeen"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Read the entire <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=7bU4AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false">book online here</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />YearofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05968173210251454925noreply@blogger.com0