Tanglewood

In continuing our year long (monthly) 25th Anniversary celebration,

 my husband and I did something we've talked about doing for quite a while 

but had never actually done.

We visited Tanglewood

Purchased $10 lawn tickets for the orchestra rehearsal on Saturday morning.

 Arrived early.

Strolled around the grounds.

 Sipped ice cold limeade

and settled ourselves beneath the beautiful branches

of  a  s--p--r--a--w--l--i--n--g shade tree.

  We couldn't really see the orchestra but we could hear just fine

and would ya just look at the lovely view we had from the ground up ...! :)

Enjoyed our picnic lunch before leaving

-and-

 in the search that followed for a nearby beach,

 we happened upon a funky little shop where

walking in was like walking back in time. 

 We carefully navigated our way through the place packed full of paraphenalia from the past.

Didn't stay long tho' - as it was HOT!! (no air conditioning) -

which I actually can't help but think was a carefully calculated business decision considering that it served as a highly effective "draw" for the owner's wife's homemade ice-cream shop 

in the yellow annex next door. 

 We were drawn to it like - well - like...

sweaty people are drawn to ice cream on a hot summer day! ;) 

We shared a home-made maple walnut ice cream cone

made with locally made (that's a lotta "mades" for one sentence - sorry) maple syrup.

 We asked for directions to the beach & it just so happened that it was right around the corner. The shop owner allowed us to leave our car at his place & walk so we wouldn't have to purchase a parking pass - tho' I later learned that was yet another calculated offer of sorts - as he likes having cars in his parking lot ... believes they attract more customers :)  Given that ours was the only car in his lot when we arrived and there were more when we left...well - maybe he's right! 

  Anyhow - I guess you could say our little arrangement was mutually beneficial. 

 We purchased a piece of the past before leaving...

I've been wanting one of these!
My mom had a similar one and I have no idea whatever happened to it :/

I gather this one was acquired from an old political stumping ground called Joe's Diner. 

And that it's quite possible one or more of the Kennedy Clan enjoyed a glass of fresh squeezed
juice made with this handy gadget.
Hopefully it will feel right at home on our kitchen counter now
since I tend to climb up on my soapbox every now & then  ;)

 I was pleased to see how nicely a canning jar
- which we use for drinking glasses 'round here - 

fit so nicely in it - almost as if they were made for each other ;)


After doing a little research I learned that indeed there was a Joe's Diner in the Berkshires. It served as Norman Rockwell's inspiration for The Runaway

 - and the man pictured behind the counter is the "real Joe" -  which means that he also quite likely owned and made juice with the juicer we bought yesterday! :) Kinda cool...huh?!

I don't intend to let it just sit around & collect dust. 
 I actually bought it with Strike in mind - in hopes of helping her check off 

"make fresh squeezed orange juice" 

from her summer "to do list" ;)  But, I digress....

From there

we walked a lovely dirt road laced with wildflowers to the beach

and

took a quick refreshing dip in the lake 

before heading

home.