Summer in the City

[Newbury St, from Stephanie's cafe, Boston; 7/25/14]

Ah, summer in Boston. The students are gone and most everyone else decamps for the Cape or other holiday destinations. There's very little wait for a table at the outdoor cafes and the sidewalks are open for strolling. Yesterday we were blessed with warm but dry air and a light breeze. We had a nice late lunch then ambled over to Copley Square to the farmer's market, behind which, on the steps of the public library, a small but noisy demonstration over Gaza was going on. This one appeared to be mostly pro-Israel, although I understand the Palestinian side has also been well represented in local rallies. 

[Farmer's market, Copley Square; 7/25/14]

[Israel-Gaza rally behind the farmer's market]

From Copley, we continued on up to the Public Garden, where the swan boats had just been corrralled, tied up, and floated out to the middle of the lagoon for the evening. We sat on a bench and watched the ducks for awhile. Across the lagoon, some guy appeared to have a white ferret on a leash, with the benefit of attracting away the young boys near us who'd been throwing pebbles at the ducks. Then we went to see the pair of swans, who yet again had to abandon their nest of unfertilized eggs (the pair are both female) and were off to sail around the lagoon and terrorize the ducklings. It was such a lovely evening we didn't want to leave.

[Duck on the Public Garden lagoon]

[Either Romeo or Juliet, resident swans]

Today and tomorrow is the Summer Arts Weekend in the city, with concerts on a couple of stages in Copley Square. We're meeting friends later in the afternoon to watch some of that. The last show is at 9:45 tonight with Los Lobos, which we may go back out to watch if we're up for it. Last year we saw the wonderful Angelique Kidjo at the late show (ha, late - I remember when 10pm was the earliest one would venture out for the evening). The weather looks to be good today, but becoming oppressively humid tomorrow and stormy Monday. We'll try to make hay while the sun shines...

[Summer color in the Public Garden]

Comments

[Peter Stephens]

So nice! We managed to sit outside our eatery today, too, and take in the passers-by and relatively cool weather. Other than that, the Apple store for repairs, Home Depot, WalMart, etc. Lunch was the least suburban and most enjoyable part of the day! I visit the city vicariously through you guys.

[Relatively Retiring]

It's been wonderful over here, too.
Boston looks so lovely and, as Peter Stephens says, I can enjoy it via your camera.
Tough luck for the Lesbian swans; they will have to adopt a duck perhaps?

[Leslee]

Peter: Glad you could enjoy your lunch al fresco as well. I'm very lucky D lives in the city as I'd never be in town as much as I am otherwise.

RR: Great that you're getting good weather there as well. As for our pair of swans (a classic "Boston marriage"), someone told me that parks often pair up two females to avoid reproducing. Swans are very territorial and can be aggressive - we've seen them at times harassing the ducks. So it's just as well we keep to the one pair!