Ah Vacationland...a beloved nickname for New England's youngest and most mysterious state: Maine. A long-time part of Massachusetts, Maine was the last New England state to be founded in 1820, a near thirty years after its closest sibling: Vermont, in 1791, and thirty-six years after the end of the Revolutionary War. Despite the state's late-coming, however, its name actually dates back to the 1600s. During that time, land was still being...
The holidays are coming and some would argue that Thanksgiving is the busiest, most family-packed one of them all. Need a break from the chaos or simply want to stretch your legs? The Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge in Tiverton, Rhode Island, is a great place to relax and walk off some of those turkey calories. It's quiet, the terrain is flat enough for almost anyone to enjoy, and your glimpses of the Sakonnet River will quite literally draw...
Ah, I remember this morning...getting up at quarter to five, putting my socks on and feeling...nervous. The history of Fort Wetherill goes back to the American Revolution in the summer of 1776. Then known as Battery on Dumpling Rock, it was meant to defend Newport Harbor against the British, but instead, the British captured Battery, Jamestown and Newport all in December of that year. Following their victory, the British made various...
Another beautiful day in southern Rhode Island. Before beach season hits, my mom and I thought we'd check out Watch Hill in Westerly. Sitting just over the border from Connecticut and a few miles shy of Misquamicut, Watch Hill is a hamlet for the wealthy and beach friendly. While well known for its hotel that could rival Downton Abbey, its newest claim occurred in 2013 when Taylor Swift bought a house there: a pristine white colonial on top...
Have you ever been to a beach in the winter? It’s an odd thing. Eerie even. For a place that’s usually filled with people and families, to see it empty and abandoned can be a shock, even if you are expecting it. It was that shock and emptiness that reminded me of what it’s like the moment you realize you're going to lose someone you love. Some moments, diseases, things, you can do something about, others; not so much. This past fall, I...
