I already know the answer: $4 per gallon gas! But yesterday, a sunny day but too windy for yard work, we revived a tradition I grew up with: the Sunday drive. As a kid, that was our Sunday entertainment. Dad would pile us all in the jalopy of the moment and we'd go for a ride. Sometimes it was into the city, sometimes into the country. Sometimes we'd stop for an ice cream cone or a root beer in a frosted mug. Sometimes we'd drive as far as Cape Cod, or New Hampshire or the Mohawk Trail. Sometimes we'd have a picnic at Norumbega Tower. I'm sure we four kids squabbled in the back seat, I'm sure Dad threatened "don't make me stop the car". But these are really fond memories of a simpler time.
Yesterday we drove up-Island (the hillier, less populated part of Martha's Vineyard Island) looking for signs of spring. Daffodils, those beautiful yellow heralds, were everywhere huddled beside stone walls. Skunk Cabbage was neon green in all the wet places - we could hear the pinkletink chorus as we drove past. Leaf buds are still just a swelling with a tinge of color on the tree branches but soon the Wild Pear or Flowering Shad will be blooming in the woods.
We ended our excursion at Squibnocket where the remnants of the weather system which caused deadly tornados to our south was stirring up the Atlantic. Two brave surfers in wetsuits were challenging the surf and we watched for almost an hour. Finally, we concluded the Sunday drive with a visit to Dairy Queen for Reese's mini Blizzards.
We did Sunday drives with 6 kids in the mid 60's. One of the favorite spots was to park out by the airport and watch the planes take off and land.
ReplyDeleteWe did them, too! And to some of the same places--I think I remember you saying you grew up in greater Boston, right? Me, too ( Melrose)
ReplyDeleteThose rides were lots of fun!