Rhode Island Coastline

Creative yard decorations seem to be the focus catching our eye early today as we head down to the coast of Rhode Island rather than to Old Mystic on yet another overcast day.  From antique farm equipment to stacked rocks to a decorated tree, we see a range of ideas.

Beach toys adorn a tree.

What appears to be an adorned pine tree is near the beach and we wonder if it has been decorated with salvaged beach toys collected following the devastation of hurricane Sandy.  The tree is situated close to the beachfront where every building seems to be under reconstruction.  There are piles of sand along the streets that appear to have been scraped up from the road like a form of tan snow.  Some buildings look like they will open for the summer, others look like they have far too much construction to to be ready even by July 4th and others look as though they will never reopen with windows still boarded over.  Everywhere construction workers and what appear to be owners or helpers (maybe even neighbors helping neighbors) are scurrying back and forth working like ants rebuilding their nest after someone or something disturbed it.  Here the heart of America is evident with so many pulling together to restore their homes and businesses.  Seeing this first hand is moving and draws you into the reality of what these people have coped with.  This is not the sterile and remote stuff of television, but up close and real.

Sand piled along side the road.

Further along the coast we find a cove with lovely old homes along the shore that seem to have been immune from the storm damage even though they are right at the edge of the shore.  The architecture is beautiful with a consistent gray shingle siding on most of the homes with crisp white trim.  The beach is rocky here and people come to park and look out at the gray water that reflects the sky making the horizon invisible.

I spy pussy willows growing next to a barn and wild turkeys in a field.  Here rock walls are abundant and a rock silo next to a barn looks beyond sturdy.  Trees and rocks are everywhere and the farm fields are lined with both.  We relished a delicious sandwich in a small shop in an old building built along a stream that flows through the town where kayaks floated along. 

Kayaking on stream that flows through town.

Pussy Willows

Stone walls line the fields everywhere.

Stone silo between barn and tree.

Snoopy’s Corner:
We watched this amazing show on TV tonight about North America-a new series that took seven years to film.  For me, the best part is watching the birds and prairie dogs.  I can’t wait until Sunday to see the next episode.  I did not get to go for a ride today so I missed the wild turkeys but you know this TV show made up for that!     

Who is looking at whom?