Crazy as a Cool Fox

Halloween in Salem even the dogs dress up! Salem, Massachusetts "The Witch City"
Thursday Challenge is a weekly thematic collaboration of bloggers. This week's theme is "dress up." For more dressed up folks, click here.

Shadows in the Park Salem Willows Salem, Massachusetts
Posted for Shadow Shot Sunday
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This week's Sepia Saturday prompt has a bunch of mean looking people looking at a little old woman who seems to be living in a little shack at the side of a river. Perhaps they are not to thrilled that she chose to put her little shack right at their precious fishing hole? Who knows?

From my collection of postcards I found this as a close match: This postcard was in a box of things I inherited from my grandmother. She and my grandfather had living in  New Brunswick and Maine in the early 1900's. She must have purchased a number of postcards from the region and never mailed them. As I recall, my grandfather enjoyed fishing earlier in his life. He once told me that when the salmon ran upriver in New Brunswick you could reach down and scoop them up with your hands.


I have to hand it to the people of New Brunswick for keeping their rivers wild and free. The Miramichi seems to be dam free from source to sea. To the north the Restigouche river has kept its same wilderness characteri…

Autumn and school go together. This one room schoolhouse is located in Newbury, Massachusetts on the Lower Green. It was one of many throughout town. It was restored in 1976 to it's original 1897 design and is used as a living history lesson for local school children.
Thursday Challenge is a weekly thematic collaboration of bloggers.
This week's theme is "autumn."
For more autumn scenes click here for Thursday Challenge.

Both (warning: stong language) Not only does he land on his butt, but he bangs his head too. Common sense would have on checking the thickness first before trying to crash though. If you can walk on it, it certainly is to thick to break. lol

Swan Shadow
South River
Salem, Massachusetts
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The Sepia Saturday prompt this week shows some men in uniform involved in public safety. One of the many now defunct public safety jobs was at one time the United States Life Saving Service. There were many of these stations every few miles up and down the coast. Relics of these posts are still in use today perhaps as a private residence or as a part of an active Coast Guard station. Today's active Coast Guard is what has evolved from the U. S. Life Saving Service, U. S. Lighthouse Service and the U. S. Revenue Service.

Imagine these men manning their stations in the dead of winter when the  post lookout sentry sites a vessel floundering at sea. He sounds the alarm. They had to run these dories down the beach, board them, and row into what was often the face of a terrifying storm. They put their own lives at peril to save sailors.



The old Salisbury Beach post is no longer there but there is an old post being used as a private residence just a few miles south on Plum Island. There…

The theme this week is a "familiar" one and so is this rock. It's not very hard but anyone familiar with American History is familiar with this stone. It will becomes even more familiar each November. Leave a message, let me know your familiarity with it.
Thursday Challenge is a weekly thematic collaboration of bloggers.
This week's theme is "familiar."
To find more familiar posts, click here.

I watched this jump here on YouTube live. It set a YouTube record for a live broadcast with over 7 million viewers. The jump was truly inspirational.

Footprint Power Salem, Massachusetts
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Originally posted April 17, 2010: Updated.

This photo shows Isaac Shields in his American Civil War regalia presumably with his fellow comrades for a reunion. In previous posts I have written about his daughter, Elzena Rachel, and his grand-daughter, Villa. Mae (muskrat coat) Isaac is second from the left holding the battle flag.

I did a little research on Isaac and it turns out he was in the 1st Regiment, Maine Cavalry. His unit saw action in that famous battle at Gettysburg where 51,000 soldiers lost their lives. He was also present at Appomattox Court House the site of the final battle and the signing of the Confederate Army of Virginia's surrender.

This photo must be a reunion commemoration as the men are formally dressed and adorned with their well earned medals. There were two notable reunions of both Union and Confederate forces at Gettysburg for the 50th and 75th anniversary of the battle. There were 1800 veterans that attended the 75th anniversary. Still I'm not sure …

The "Friendship of Salem" (left) shares her berth with  "Peacemaker" October 2012 Derby Wharf Salem, Massachusetts Thursday Challenge is a weekly thematic collaboration of bloggers This week's this is "feelings." For more great photos depicting feelings click here for Thursday Challenge.

Sunset at Obear Park Beverly, Massachusetts For more shadow shots click here.

In my postcard collection I actually have a card with a tug boat pulling an old fishing schooner. It's not as big as the one in the Sepia Saturday prompt nor is the ship that is being pulled. But it is a great match.

The card shows the two vessels entering the mouth of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. Although it looks placid here the mouth is infamous for dangerous currents and sandbars. It's difficult enough to navigate in a powered vessel let alone a sailing vessel.

Each boating season the Coast Guard is at the ready to assist boaters having trouble navigating this treacherous channel

Navigate the treacherous channel of Sepia Saturday by clicking here.

Crane Castle
Ipswich, Massachusetts

Thursday Challenge is a weekly collaboration of bloggers. This week's theme is "Culture." Get more culture by visiting other Thursday Challenge posts. Click here. Related articlesThe Crane Estate (myv.typepad.com)

Started from a seed, add earth, water, sunlight their nuturer's competitive spirit running high. In New England they grow em' big and bright, because in the fall we like a lot of pie.

Have some fun at the Topsfield Fair from September 28, 2012 to October 8, 2012.