Showing posts with label Lexington and Concord. Minuteman. Old Nortj Bridg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lexington and Concord. Minuteman. Old Nortj Bridg. Show all posts

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Field Trip -- Lexington and Concord

 Our guide yesterday, in full "reenactor" regalia plus an eccentric golden ostrich feather, is a regular lecturer at the Academy for Lifelong Learning.  Yesterday a busload of us went up to Lexington and Concord, less than two weeks after the anniversary (April 19th) of the battle that began the American Revolution.  Sol, our guide, aka Ebenezer Knox, Jr., has reenacted the battle so often he knew where everyone was at all times.  His costume was handmade. I'm sorry I didn't get the rosy pink stockings he has on, nor the taselled sword hanging on his left side.

The day was as perfect a spring day as anyone could want. The picture above is in Lexington and below, is a picture (from the back -- sorry) of the famous Minuteman statue. I was delighted to learn later in the day when we visited Orchard House, the home of the Alcott family, that Mary Alcott (Louisa's artist sister) was the teacher of Chester French, the artist who not only did the Minuteman statue, but also the Lincoln Memorial.

I am not a history buff and especially not a battle buff so much of Sol's lecture was lost as I stood about here and later on in Concord at the Old North Bridge and gaped at the trees. They are old, graceful and VERY tall.  This is remarkable to me because here on Cape Cod the soil is sandy and not very deep (there's rock underneath).  When I used to come up on the bus from NYC to visit, I knew I was on Cape Cod when the trees became short.  It's a perspective I am not accustomed to but there on those historic sites the trees soared into the sky.  They were truly grand even this early before their leaves have burst out. The current header is a  great tree on the green in Lexington

I used to marvel at the precious elms in Central Park's promenade which were grand in the same way.  Measuring ourselves by the nature around us affects our attitudes, I do believe.  I think that's why I found the Sherpas in the Himalayas are so gentle and kind (along with their Buddhism)

In Concord, after the history lessons were finished and we had our lunch. We went to Orchard House.  More about that in the next post.