You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2010.
This is the May picture from the MV calendar I put together for 2010…
This picture of Donaroma’s Nursery and Landscaping in Edgartown was taken in May a few years ago. Donaroma’s is one of the first things you see as you enter Edgartown and their displays are always beautiful.
If April showers…
Bring May flowers …
What do May flowers bring ?
Wait for it…
Are you ready?
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They bring Pilgrims 
I know, it’s corny but maybe it made you smile.
(I took these pictures of the Mayflower replica and Plymouth Rock in May 1973 in Plymouth, MA. The riddle is probably as old as the rock.)
One of the things an Island does best is be surrounded by water. In my humble and unbiased opinion, Martha’s Vineyard has it all as far as water is concerned.
The cliffs at Aquinnah (Gay Head) are surrounded by rocky and treacherous waters. The clay from the cliffs washes into the water and creates a blend of unusual beauty.
A view of Vineyard Sound and out to the Atlantic from a window of West Chop lighthouse.
Looking towards the Elizabeth Islands from Menemsha Hills Reservation.
Edgartown Harbor
Oak Bluffs Harbor.
Water on the rocks.
Chappaquiddick kayaks.
Sunny or foggy… water, water everywhere.
Newark, New Jersey
Martha’s Vineyard is a great place for a family vacation.
Unlike big crowded theme parks, a trip to the Vineyard is a more laid back kind of vacation.
Being an Island the main attraction is the beach. The best kid friendly one is State Beach on the eastern side of MV between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The water is mostly shallow and very calm. The beach is great for finding shells and stones and sometimes an elusive piece of sea glass.
Here at Aquinnah, (Gay Head cliffs) on the western side of MV lying beneath the colorful clay cliffs, the beach is rougher and dotted with large and interesting rocks.
Bicycling is a terrific way to explore the Island. One of the prettiest bicycle paths is right along State Beach between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown… the Atlantic Ocean is on one side and Sengekontacket Pond on the other.
Along the way look for an Osprey’s nest.
Try miniature golf at Island Cove Mini Golf on State Rd just outside of Vineyard Haven, and also try their rock climbing wall.
Some other things to do on MV are. Nature walks and children’s programs at Felix Neck. Watch glass being blown at the Martha’s Vineyard Glassworks. Go ice skating at the MV Arena. Try horseback riding. Spend a few hours at Beadniks in Vineyard Haven creating a one of a kind piece of jewelry.
No matter what your age you’ll want to ride on the Flying Horses.
The Flying Horses in Oak Bluffs are America’s oldest platform carousel dating back to 1884. They are listed on the National Register of Historical Places and belong to the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust. Take a ride on one of these beautifully restored horses rain or shine.
And rain does happen, so what do you do withkids to keep them happy.
Bookstores. Edgartown Books (pictured here) and The Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven.
There are several theatres on MV.. the one pictured here is in Vineyard Haven… Oak Bluffs has two theatres and Edgartown does also.
Shopping is always fun for a little while. Try out Riley’s Reads and the Toy Box both here in Vineyard Haven.
If you take a jaunt over to the smaller island of Chappaquiddick, which is a three minute ferry ride from Edgartown, take time to stroll through Mytoi, the beautiful and peaceful Japanese garden. Also take a guided tour out to Cape Poge lighthouse.
If you’re on MV in the middle of August you can visit the Agricultural Fair It’s amazing to see what the Vineyarders have created… from quilts and homemade jams and jellies to raising livestock. There’s something for everyone, lots of good food, rides to go on, sheep shearing and interesting contests like skillet tossing… something I’ve been tempted to do in my kitchen at times.
So run, play, shop, go swimming and biking, ride on a flying horse or a real one, visit a farm or spend a week as a deck hand on a kids cruise on the Shenandoah or Alabama tall ships. Enjoy all that Martha’s Vineyard has to offer.
CLICK HERE for all kinds of great information from the MV Chamber of Commerce.
Stone walls …
And fences …
I have not been to all of the beaches on MV… not the nude beach and not many of the private beaches. Everyone loves a beach, whether for swimming and splashing… or walking and collecting stones and shells… or just letting your dolls and stuffed animals out for a good romp. Beaches are most popular in the summer but I find the beauty and solitude of an autumn or winter beach very enticing.
Branch Brook Park is located in my hometown of Newark, NJ. We took a ride to the park yesterday (Apr 10th) to see the cherry blossoms. Branch Brook Park was created in 1895 making it the first county park in the nation. It has the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the world… more than Washington, DC and more than Japan. The cherry trees were a gift donated in 1927 by Caroline Bamberger Fuld. BBP is 360 acres and has almost 5000 cherry trees. The Cherry Blossom Festival runs for two weeks, the Bloomfest is April 18th… during which time the cherry blossoms should be at their peak. But, Mother Nature with her whimsically weird sense of humor has fast forwarded almost everything this Spring and so the cherry trees bloomed in all their glory … last weekend. The cherry trees still look beautiful.
The cherry trees below are along Second River which forms the border between Newark and Belleville.
In the tree below sits Deb and Chappy There was supposed to be an accompanying picture of Deb and our first mini-dachshund, Mustard, sitting in a tree at BBP in 1979 but unfortunately I can’t find the picture.
Update… Deb found the missing picture which is posted below… thanks Deb.
It was a beautiful day to be out in the park enjoying the fresh air, the beauty of nature and recalling fond memories of Branch Brook Park.
Please visit my photo blog Through Jersey Eyes for more pictures.
The Flying Horses are housed in this building at the intersection of Circuit and Lake Aves in Oak Bluffs. They came to the Island in 1884 from Coney Island. I did a post awhile ago telling more about them, you can read that by clicking here.
The Flying Horses are not a carousel, or a merry-go-round, they don’t go up and down just round and round. They are flying horses, like Pegasus, and fly to wherever you can imagine them to. They don’t actually have wings, but as you make the first circuit you feel like you’re about to fly out the open windows. Look closely at the horse’s eyes, inside each one is a tiny hand carved animal.
I flew on these beautiful horses every day when I was a little girl. The ticket taker was a young man who would never take my tickets ! We tried everything to get him to take them… we brought him candy and cookies and tried slipping the tickets in with them… nothing work. At the end of the summer I said I wanted to buy him a gift, so off my mom and I went to purchase what I thought was a novel idea .. a tie. I was 5 years old, what did I know about buying gifts for men… he, by the way was about 13 but in my eyes he was a grown up. We put the tie in the box with all of summer’s uncollected tickets. As he came around to NOT collect my ticket I handed him the box. He smiled. Ah ha, success… or so I thought. As we were leaving the Flying Horses he came over and thanked us for the tie and as we turned to leave he handed us the tickets. I won’t say who he is, just that he turned out to be an official in Oak Bluffs in later years… and someone I’ve never forgotten.
