16 August 1957 “A Trip to the Rail Road Bridge and the News Returns”

I thought I would start with a few photos from our staycation here on Cape Cod, where we make our home. Having had almost an entire week from the computer has made it rather hard to return. I find, when I am not set to edit photos, write  or mess about with ideas for the blog/site, I am happy unplugged. It seems rather an anachronistic sort of statement, but is rather true for me. Certainly I greatly appreciate the liberating freedom and the endless opportunity the computer and internet allow me. The fact that I have met so many and continue to share with all of you is an amazing and wonderful part of my life. It is my ‘plugged in' aspect of my existence. But one can very easily, if one is allowed, to slip into a sort of timeless daze of disconnect.

I am rather apt to brood, so extended periods of time unplugged  would most likely not be good for me. But, for a week here or there, it can be rather bliss. The morning coffee with the chickens and the wild birds. The day stretched before you with no more responsibility than my usual homemaking chores and the promise of bike rides to the sea. There is poking about town or idle rainy hours in old bookstores stuffed into dilapidated houses, creaking under the strain of the quickly dying medium of the printed word on paper. I have had lazy afternoon teas of laughing with friends, hot sticky days of sand and salt, followed by cool evenings by the fire; a lull in the conversation, the crackle of the logs and the sound of the Katydids in the dying orange light of twilight. It has been a good week off.

Where we live we have easy access to the Cape Cod Canal bike trail. This slip of pavement winds its way along the man mad Canal that split our little peninsula into an island many decades ago. There are two bridges to access Cape Cod, and one Rail Road bridge. The latter is an interesting bit of metal and ingenuity that lowers when a train needs to come onto or leave the Cape. This allows our rubbish to leave and once the passengers of trains to enter.

We biked one afternoon to the other end of the canal. Our usual tour is a simple ride to the Sandwich Beaches, but if you ride toward the bridges, the Canal Path eventually takes you to the end at Buzzard’s Bay. There you can see the Rail Road Bridge.

Here it is as we approach it. The little slip of pavement with the yellow line is a narrow path for bikes and pedestrians only, so cars or motorized vehicles. We were lucky that day as we heard the distant whistle of a train on the opposite side. We sat upon some large rocks and waited.

Here it is half way down. The large metal box shape in the foreground is the great steel weights that work on a pulley  system to raise and lower the bridge. We see it has completely been lowered. Obviously, when not in use, it needs to be raised as very large ships, container ships and the like, are always heading through the canal as well as pleasure craft and even rather small boats. And the train makes its way onto the Cape.

The bridge itself is rather beautiful and has some interesting sculptural qualities. You can see the dramatic affect with a dark rain cloud passing by.

There is, along the way to the Rail Road Bridge, a stop along the way known as the old Trading Post. It is a Colonial trading post from the 1690’s. The old building is maintained by the Historical society and is rather interesting. You can see the old original leaded windows and the interior, much like our own old home, is all old post and beams. There is also a spot to picnic and relax. Here you can see our trusty old bikes with the Canal in the background.  The old trading post building. Here is a blurb about it:

Aptucxet Trading Post may have the earliest remains of a Pilgrim building. The known facts present a fascinating story, not only of an antique building but also of Bourne's participation in 17th-century events.

and a link to the site HERE.

The sign by the Colonial Garden adjacent to the Trading post.

All in all we had a lovely week. And, as many of you know, we currently have our old home on the market. However, we keep waffling on rather or not we actually wish to sell it. Part of our plan, if the house were to sell, was to move to a larger piece of property Down East, in Maine. Yet, this house holds so many memories and is such a wonderful place in the summer, it is a hard decision. We have also been considering a move back to the City part time, which makes this house so convenient, as Boston is only an hour away. The current political and economic conditions of the country and the world keep breaking in on our idyllic past-recreated lives. Things which would not have been part of decision making are certainly not to be ignored and we are very concerned for our futures.

But, more of that later. I am just getting back into the swing of things here.

There is a NEW News. It is now the WEEKLY news, so you can click the link to the left or go HERE.

I am working on another idea to become part of the blog as well. I am looking forward to getting back into my time and effort here. Some more fun recipes and discussions on how to incorporate good old vintage ideals into our ever changing modern world.

Until tomorrow, then, Happy Homemaking.