The Lightkeeper's Blog

I have been holding back from blogging as the Scituate Historical Society had scheduled a lecture on the grounding of Etrusco and I did not want to step on any toes. That lecture took place last night at the Methodist Church and I am told Bob Belliveau formerly of our local cable access television station was terrific.

Seventy years ago, on the night of March 16, 1956 an Italian freighter named Etrusco was pushed up on the beach less than 100 yards from where I type. My uncle lived in town and took this home movie a day or two later and then again in the summer.

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With the snow just gone and a cold spring upon us, thoughts nonetheless turn to the gardens. Most of the daisies have been cut back. If it was 10 degrees warmer today I would be out cutting back the rosebushes. I have walked around 10 times imagining which perennials will be returning and if any of them might be split up to an advantage. I am told the islands by the parking lot will be tended to by a new neighbor. I will teach her the tricks of the hose set up.

A broken gate has been repaired and I am looking at the boardwalk for a few patches. The beach is in tough shape and will have to be repaired by hand as town finances are locked down until the new fiscal year dawns in July. I will get it out there but I won’t until I know I can do it right.

Windows are another task on pause as it is just too cold to do the swap from storm to screen. This involves washing and oiling up the hardware that gets bound in the salty aired winter. There are fifteen of them and it takes a while.

The message board did go out yesterday and I had an announcement of a May event to put in right away.

This has become a springtime tradition very quickly run by the most efficient organization with a great mission.

Lots of rocks have been swept up and a few more to go from the last high tide earlier this week likely to push over the revetment. As noted the path on which the boardwalk sits took a hit but in other common places we are set. The handicap spot for example is a place I always have to sweep and shovel out. Not this year. It is very clean and safe for all. The planters that hold down that corner will likely go out into place next weekend.

Thanks go out to Shawn Harris Enterprises who made a very quick repair when a pump connected to the heating system quit on us. Michael came over and came through and came back for the wrench he left behind.

As I write I believe the tourists have arrived. A car with New Jersey plates just drove the wrong way down Rebecca road and parked. A couple with a dog so small you could feed it from a teaspoon is now walking around. It is only fifty-fifty that they don’t drive off the point up Lighthouse Road.