![A logo for "50 Happens," [a site dedicated to Gen X women with children and grandchildren] [who embrace life's challenges with humor and resilience], [featuring a modern and uplifting design] [that embodies strength and positivity] [with an elegant and playful style] [and a harmonious blend of colors like pink, fuchsia, purple, and blue].](https://50happens.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/img-5uorrxvwartomopcpuhjfjd0.png?w=300)
Wordless Wednesday
Photography
From Stockbridge to Boston
All James Taylor fans know this verse from Sweet Baby James:
Now, the first of December was covered with snow
So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frostin’
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go
Last night after my amazing Tanglewood experience, we stayed overnight at the historic (and possibly haunted) Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which was built in 1773.
That’s right. The Red Lion Inn is three years older than the United States. It was built the same year colonists were starting to get super annoyed with King George and dumped a bunch of tea in Boston Harbor.*
After a swim in the outdoor pool at Red Lion, we stopped for a delicious lunch at the Starving Artist Café in nearby Lee. We chatted with a woman from nearby Pittsfield, where I was born and spent the first three years of my life. Back then, everyone in Pittsfield (including my dad) worked for General Electric.
I don’t know why I hadn’t been back to this area in decades, but I will not wait so long to return. After lunch, we put on some James Taylor in the car and hopped on the turnpike back to Boston. The traffic gods were with me and I got home before 4pm.
*The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by American colonists against British taxation policies. It occurred on December 16, 1773, in Boston, Massachusetts. Colonists, frustrated by the Tea Act—which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, effectively lowering the cost but undercutting colonial merchants—disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and boarded British ships. They proceeded to dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance became a pivotal event leading up to the American Revolution.
Related post:
Bucket List Progress: Tanglewood
Tanglewood Music Center, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is an iconic location in New England. Over the years, I’ve heard many musically-inclined people describe it as their “happy place.” Located in the picturesque Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Tanglewood hosts a variety of concerts, performances, and events featuring world-class musicians and artists. The grounds also include beautiful gardens, walking paths, and vast picnic areas. Purchasing “lawn seats” for a symphonic performance at Tanglewood and picnicking on the grounds has long been on my bucket list. (Tanglewood picnics have a legacy all their own.) Well, yesterday I checked this one off in absolutely spectacular weather.
The first half of the program included a modern piece by a living composer, Anna Clyne, who was there to introduce her work, as well as two gorgeous Mozart arias sung by an ethereal young soprano—Elena Villalón. The second half of the program was Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. The entire program was conducted by James Gaffigan—a young (cute) GenX American.
Besides the fact that we absolutely lucked out with one of the most stellar days of the summer (sunny, not too hot, low humidity), the sumptuous 4-course picnic lunch (provided by gourmet chefs from my church) made yesterday an over-the-top delight. My lifelong friend Gail and I didn’t have to bring a thing other than our lawn chairs. (The picnic lunch was something I won in a church auction last year.)
Holy wow! From the majestic setting, to the history of the hallowed grounds traversed by the greatest American musicians of the 20th century—from Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland to John Williams and Renée Fleming—I truly felt the Tanglewood magic.
Related post:
Wordless Wednesday
Table with a view
Daily writing prompt
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?
The idea of “girl dinner” came up in a recent post by Singing Gecko and it stuck in my head to the point where I ordered “cheese and charcuterie” as my meal in a restaurant which had many normal/traditional entree options.
It was $38 and it was huge! My husband had some of it, but he had a steak on the way, so it was mostly up to me. Having recently doubled my cholesterol medication dosage, I felt I was up to the task.
Obviously, I got a cocktail too, followed by a glass of Prosecco. (Girl dinner includes alcohol.)
We had a table on an exterior deck and the weather was perfect.
But the best part was the view. I would describe it as “bucolic New England farm.” The landscape was dotted with wildlife including sheep, finches, butterflies, and the occasional soaring bird of prey.
And as the sun set over this beautiful landscape, and they boxed up my leftover cheeses, I felt that my expensive appetizer (a.k.a. girl dinner) was a great choice and was definitely worth the money.
Related post:
Family photos revisited
Stained Glass Window
I drove about an hour yesterday to visit a dear old friend from work. It was great to see Dina. She made me lunch and then we took a short ride to her church. Like me, Dina sings in her church choir and I’ve been hearing about her church community for many years. I wanted to see the building so I could picture what she’d been talking about all these years.
It was a lovely, well-maintained, stone church dating back to the 1890s. Inside was dark wood throughout with many stained glass windows. There was one new window, which was dedicated to the women of the church. I really liked it. Instead of biblical scenes, it featured New England flora and fauna including an owl, a squirrel, a cardinal, a blue jay, a chickadee, a rabbit (or two), a fawn, and a big old turkey.
I met the minister (referred to as the “rector” in Episcopalian churches) and he explained that a large part of the window was intentionally left clear so that people could see out into the memorial garden.
Beach walk
What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
I like to swim in the ocean, whenever I can. I also like to walk on the beach.
Mini vacation
Describe your most memorable vacation.
Sometimes a one-nighter in your own area can be fun. I haven’t spent much time in Boston since I left my job, so it’s good to be back in the city.
Happy Birthday to all Americans. We are 248 years old today. Long may we run. 🇺🇸
Art History 102
What’s your definition of romantic?
This prompt is giving me flashbacks to my college art history survey: the darkened auditorium, the slides of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the Renaissance to the 20th century, the occasional nap. I got a B in that class. Not bad.
The Romantic Period in art (late 18th century to mid 19th century) was characterized by “a focus on emotion, individualism, and the sublime. Artists of this period often emphasized intense feelings, dramatic compositions, and the beauty and power of nature.”
Based on that definition, I’m going to have to say that the Grand Canyon is the most Romantic place I’ve ever been.
Pretty darn sublime, right?
