Summer Family Fun

At the end of August, we have a blowout week to celebrate the end of summer. On Wednesday night the Methodist Campmeeting Ground is decorated with thousands of Japanese lanterns (some quite old silk ones dating back to missionary days). After a community sing in the tabernacle, all the extraneous lights are shut off and the lanterns are lit. Huge crowds circle the gingerbread houses by the magical light of the many-colored lanterns.

Two nights later, on Friday, the Oak Bluffs Fire Department puts up a spectacular display of fireworks. Before hiking down to the beach to watch the fireworks, our family had a huge clam boil with lobsters, mussels, steamer clams, corn on the cob and linguica (Portuguese sausage). We plan to make this a yearly tradition.



We raked some of the clams ourselves.


The Dukes County Agricultural Society Fair is crammed into the August blowout week too. So the whole family spends a hot, dusty day at the fairgrounds eating lobster rolls, clam chowder, kettle corn, cheeseburgers, strawberry shortcake, etc... and then riding the ferris wheel or the more blood curdling amusements and visiting the animal barns to see the prizewinning pigs, goats, alpacas,miniature horses and poultry.

A trip to the beach is also required and this year the three older grandchildren initiated themselves into the Island tradition of jumping off the big bridge. It's hard to catch a photo as they leap off the rail into the deep water, but here's our "danger girl" four-year old Olivia freefalling off the bridge. (Not to worry, her Dad was waiting in the water below and she swims like a seal.) And here's Jake (eight years old) just hitting the water.











Summer is over now, the Island is emptying out and soon we'll have it all to ourselves for the long, icy winter.