Our Trip to Salisbury, Ma

Have I told you how much I love my family?  My niece, Linda, called late Sunday night and asked if we would like to go to go to Salisbury for the best clams ever.  I immediately said YES!  Somehow the clams taste better near the ocean, probably because they are fresher. 
We met Linda at her office in Leominster and headed toward the ocean.  It has been probably 45 years since I've been to Salisbury, Newberryport and Plum Island.  My dad used to take me down that way to fish when I was a kid.  We went to Salisbury and Hampton beaches as teenagers.  I didn't realize how much I missed that salt air smell and the looks of the buildings.  Houses up here just look different at the beach, and I love them. 
It took about an hour to get there with all the crazy traffic and crazy drivers on the road.  OK, maybe it was only 50 minutes!  But the smells and sights all came rushing back!  I remembered the excitement and feelings I felt as a kid when we drove through the small villages.  The sea gulls and their songs along with the smell of ocean waters.  The white boats along the docks and the small clam shacks found hidden in between the cottages.  I felt like I was home. 
Linda asked, "Eat or beach first?"  We both said, "eat!"  So on to the small 'hole in the wall' place that she said had the best clams every.  It was packed with cars and that is a good sign.  We went in and were seated immediately. No questions in Burl or my mind what we'd have.. FRIED CLAMS!  Looking around the eatery, I saw banner from every college I could think of, plus more.  Even GEORGIA!  It was such a cute little place with waitresses smiling and ready to serve.  When the food came, I was amazed.  I was going to take a picture of the clams, but figured everyone knows what they look like.  They were so light in color and my plate was full!  I didn't care about the french fries or the coleslaw.  I dug into the clams immediately and... was not disappointed!  They were so fresh and almost sweet.  Oh they were good! I finished mine before Burl and he took pity and gave me 3 or 4 of his.  Did I say how good they were?  My My My!! I've already suggested to Linda that we return when we come back to Massachusetts after our Canada jaunt. 
From there we drove to the beach.  In this area the towns run into each other, so I am not positive which little town we parked in, but it was right next to the ocean.  We walked to the beach and I remembered how beautiful our beaches are.  Large boulders on the beach. Sea grass on the banks.. Its beautiful.  I took pictures of all of it.  We saw a jetty down the beach and I wanted to walk to it so off we walked.  So many things along the way. 
The beach houses were different sizes, shapes, colors and textures.  The beach property is a little different here than it is in Georgia or Florida, that I can remember.  Some houses are meant to be rented and others are full timers. 
One sight was a mailbox being held by a walrus.  We saw a shop that made all kinds of soap and lip balm (I bought some) and scrubs for the skin.  Just a little hole in the wall but had a great smell and lot of neat soaps etc.  There was a lighthouse we passed; boat ramps and parks.  So many beautiful sites.  When we finally stopped at the jetty, we'd probably walked 3 miles!  Now... we had to walk back!  The chats and laughs and fun we had could never be replaced by anything.  It was so much joy seeing and smelling all those memories. 
Time goes so quickly and we have to take what we can get when we can get it.  I love my homeland, my place of growing up and these memories bring back all the fun times with my dad and mom, brother and friends.  Times of laughter and of sorrow, but all memories.  I am the kind of person who like to "see and touch" things.  Those things become lasting memories.  It give me courage knowing I am going to start new "memories" by reliving the old memories.  Life is so good and I thank God every day for being ALIVE.  What a privilege to live in a time when I can share my memories and even show you, out there wherever you are, my memories.  Thank you for reading my blogs and becoming a part of my memories.  Now I have to add my pictures and then I'll put them on here.  Enjoy! 

Looking down the beach.  See the rocks?  It looks so much different than the southern beaches.

This is one of the beach houses.  This house is in Cedar Shakes.. Very unique for this area.

This is the Walrus Mailbox!  How creative is that?  We usually see Bears holding mailboxes.. first walrus I've seen!

Here we are at the jetty with the houses in the background.  This is such a beautiful place to sit and relax. 

The Friends of Plum Island Light.  Very pretty and very real!

















These are only a few  pictures as it really time consuming to get them on here.  If someone is really a techi... then they could do it quickly.  I am not so this is what you get.  Hopefully, I'll get better at this as I go along.  Thanks for reading!!