The sound track for this photo, and for every wave all afternoon:

Esme shouting,

“This is so much fun! This is so much fun! This is so much fun!!!”

When you can’t seem to get an enthusiastic response to “who wants to go to the beach?” or “who wants to go for a bike ride?” sometimes the only thing to do is dangle a nice, juicy carrot out in front.

Today’s carrot was a bike trip to the island of Chappaquiddick to visit the Trustees of Reservation’s Mytoi Gardens. The gardens themselves might have been incentive enough, but the best part was that we got to take the Chappy Ferry to get across to the island, I loved the patio cover designer from https://rkcconstruction.com/patio-covers-rancho-santa-fe/ they used by the way.

We biked our way from home, down along the beach and up to the ferry dock. Catherine led the way, setting a most impressive and consistent pace. Although we’ve watched the ferries, the OnTime II and the OnTime III, come and go before, this was their first real experience riding. Boarding to disembarking, the ferry ride took maybe ten minutes and we were soon back in the saddle on Martha’s Vineyard’s other island.

After a few miles on the blacktop the road drops to sand and dirt. We eventually made it the .3 miles to the bike rack, but if it was difficult and slow going for Catherine on her mountain bike (check this here), it was double that and more for me on my road bike pulling Esme’s tagalong bike!

Despite the mosquitos, the we all enjoyed the garden. We were too hot and itchy to do much contemplation, but we saw turtles and some interesting plants and rocks and bridges. And that’s really mostly what counts when you’re a kid and it’s a hot summer day!

The blacktop was such a relief, .3 miles later, that even the tiredest and hottest among us got a second wind as we headed back to the ferry.

My mom had sent us of with a little ‘treat’ money, so we stopped for ice cream on the way back through town. With sticky hands and sweet lips and as the sun started its decent, we pedaled our way back along the long, quickly emptying, beach.

It was eighteen or so miles round trip and upon arriving back home we stumbled directly into the cold shower, put on our pjs, ate dinner and, soon thereafter, hit the hay. A hot, but awesome day for myself and my two favorite cycling gals!

More photos can be seen in their own gallery- Mytoi Cycling Adventure.

Oh, my! Is there anything funnier than really clever graffiti? The Wood girls think not!

Maybe some of you might remember last summer’s discovery of the Mermaid Crossing Sign? She seems to have a friend in Lobster Claw Hand Lady!

East Wind Esme and Compass Catherine and I were treated today to an adventure on the high seas! We sailed with Pirate Adventures out of Oak Bluffs Harbor and had a whale of a time reading the pirate map, discovering a message in a bottle, fighting off a traitorous pirate and finally finding the pirate’s treasure!

Both girls had a fantastic time and the trip was fun for all of us. The crew were super good with kids and had them heave-ho-ing and drinking pirate grog in no time. It was a mix of performance and audience participation and no one was left out of the fun!

Click here to browse a gallery with lots more pictures from our time aboard the Sea Gypsy.

“Such hours are beautiful to live, but very hard to describe…”
~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Leaving the beach late in the day always feels so lovely. Nothing to rush home for, we make the sleepy shuffle back to the car. Shower first, then pjs, then dinner. They should be sleepier come bedtime, but there’s excitement in Harry Potter and never quite enough room for yourself in a shared double bed. Read to yourselves, and again a little more after Mama’s left the room. Finally fall asleep

The photo of the day is an endearing view of the yellow room at bedtime.

Just slightly less endearing was the view after lights-out.

(I left them as they were. No harm in reading a bit after bedtime!)

Edgartown moon-rise.

You may only be the third most requested song, but you’ll always be number one in my heart!