Swedish Yule Fair Hamilton,Massachusetts

In Rome do what the Romans do. Today I will do what the Swedes do, and join in the fun of the Swedish Yule Fair. Sometimes one has to join the fun in somebody elses culture and traditions. I walk into this celebration, and everybody is wearing nordic sweaters. The highlight of the celebration was the procession of children dressed in gowns and headpieces. In Swedish tradition the eldest girl wore a crown of candles on Christmas morning , and help serve breakfast. This honor was given to a young girl of the community. I remember reading about this as a child, and remembering if I was a Swede I would of had this honor. This celebration honors St.Lucia patron saint of light.

Eat what the natives are eating. The meatloaf and fish sandwiches are excellent The children are singing Swedish and English Christmas songs. Nordic wares are being sold. Long tables and chairs are spread out. Sit down and join in the conversation.

Spare Time Family Fun Center Manchester,N.H.

Winter is coming , and the fun shouldn't stop. Get out your bowling shoes, and stop at the Spare Time Family Fun Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. There are many bowling specials during the week. Special nights such as Monday madness provides food and drink specials along with bowling 9pm. to midnight. A DJ comes every Friday and Saturday night along with a light show. For those not donning on bowling shoes an arcade and a lounge awaits one. Bands play every Friday and Saturday night. Comradityof friends and family give this place great atmosphere. Even if bowling is not your forte getting together for some fun is what makes this place special.

Milly's Tavern-The Day Tripper Goes Nightbound

Milly's tavern is a good place to have a drink and tavern food. If you like metal bands this is the place. Local DJs play certain weeknights,and specialty nights are listed. What makes this tavern unique is its location. It is situated in the former Stark Mill Brewery. Beautifully renovated it has the atmosphere to match. The Notre Dame Bridge looms above the tavern. At dusk it is quite the site. 500 North Commercial Street Manchester, New Hampshire

Salisbury Point Ghost Trail

This trail starts at Lions Park in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The eastern railroad [Salisbury branch]use to run through here. Carriages,wagons and sleighs were delivered on this railroad in the late 1800s. When these modes of transportation became obsolete the auto industry moved in. Who knew? I thought Detroit had the monopoly in the early auto industry.

Soon bodies of early Hudson and Franklin cars were delivered on this branch of the railroad. The workers covered these cars with white muslin giving it a ghostly appearance.It was a site especially at night. Today the trail runs through woods streets and neighborhoods. Kids wear their Halloween costumes on this trail. One woman I met said she built her kitchen right on the trail side so she can people watch. Can you imagine a Halloween walk using old lanterns? One day they might have a virtual ghost train running through this trail. Anything is possible.

Salisbury Colonial Burying Ground of 1639

October is a great month for visiting this burying ground in Salisbury, Massachusetts. An eerie sense of the past follows one even in broad daylight. The first five ministers of the Colonial Church of Saliisbury are buried together. Notice the two headstones leaning against each other. I could not read their headstones but I wondered if they knew each other. At some plots slabs of stones were put in the ground to protect graves from the wolves. There are also old military markers from the Revolutionary war.

Relict is an old colonial word for widow, and is on the headstone of Sarah Buswell. The word consort is also used in the place of wife. It is nice to know a woman was considered a queen. Old fashioned Yankee names show up on the headstones. The burying ground is on the road to Salisbury Beach.

Clipper city Trail Newburyport, Massachusetts

A day to saunter not run. The trail starts in downtown Newburyport under the bridge that connects to Salisbury, Massachusetts. Along the paved path people are planting flowers and trees. Gorgeous stone walls stand out like pieces of artwork. Walking through historical neighborhoods

the trail has a Charles Dickens feel to it. Further down the trail is an industrial park and a wind turbine. At the end of the trail is the last train stop from Boston. People will come from Boston to

do holiday shopping, and to see the sights. In the summer they will come for the harbor cruises and whale watches.

The only eyesore to this trail is a beautiful empty building near the train stop. Once a business opens in this building I believe the trail will be complete. Many happy memories are going to be made here.

Footnote: A shorter harbor trail connects at the beginning of the trail. It is also stunning.

Lawrence Heritage Park

Lawrence Heritage Park is a museum that tells the story of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Investors built Lawrence in the nineteenth century . Building textile mills the investors convinced European immigrants to work at them. All was not well in Bedrock. Poor wages,

unfair working conditions, and long hours made up the immigrants life. This was the beginning

of tensions between the mill workers, and the mill owners. This would lead to the famous Bread and Roses strike.

The Heritage Park is inside an old roominghouse. Many times it was an immigrants first home in America. The boarders usually ate in the kitchen , shared a bathroom , and many times a bedroom. Sometimes they even had to share a bed. An enclosed visitors park welcomes visitors outside. It looks like an old Italian garden.

An old large safe that kept payroll welcomes visitors at the entrance. If you ask they will open up the safe for you. Bolts of cloth are hanging inside from the rafters. Cloth was not the

only commodity being woven in the mills. Dreams that were unattainable in the old country came forth in the new. Dreams for themselves, their children and their grand children. What did they dream of? An education, a three decker home, and a holiday at the beach. These were the people who paved a better way for you and me. My maternal grandparents were two of these people.

Footnote: Lawrence Heritage Park is free, and nearby parking is inexpensive. Not far from the

park are the Pacific Mills and the Pacific Mills diner. One can get there by walking over a canal

bridge from the museum.