Today was a moving day as we left Cape Cod and traveled northward.  But first, we had to visit two more cemeteries on our way off of Cape Cod and found graves of ancestors in both of them.  Pretty amazing, all around.  Who would have thought that we could find the graves of ancestors who were born in England and came to this country in the 1620’s?  And yet, we did.

In a last minute decision, we decided to bypass Boston for a more thorough trip at a future date – again without the car.  Now we know when we return we can really do Boston justice and see all of it, not just a couple of the main tourist areas.

So we traveled on into New Hampshire and, due to a friend’s recommendation, went along the coastline.  What a great suggestion!  Thank you, Chris.  I could live on the coast of New Hampshire.  My husband had to pry me away as I threatened to use all of my camera’s SD card space again just on coastal shots!  What incredible beauty!

As the evening sun set over the coastline we found our way into Maine and a place to rest for the night.  And would you believe, the daffodils are just blooming in Maine!

This will be the longest spring in my experience.  I love it!  It’s total grace.

Could two days be any different?  I don’t think so.  Yet, both were so beautiful.  Yesterday we were on the waters of Cape Cod marveling at whales and today we walked the back lanes of Cape Cod looking for grave sites of ancestors.  And, we were successful beyond our expectations.

Nestled among the foliage and tiny streams; behind beautiful clapboard churches; and among the back yards of local residents, we walked to find the graves of ancestors who died in the 1700’s.  I never knew there could be such peace and beauty in cemeteries!

At one particular spot near Brewster, we felt like we were walking in a fairy tale.  We made our way down a moss covered path with tree roots peeking through it, to a tiny pond with swans gliding among the budding branches hanging over the water’s edge.  A bubbling brook sang its way downstream and we had to walk a small style to cross over it.  The birds chirped an orchestra of music and we couldn’t help but think that this would be a spot that we could enjoy for eternity!

So much beauty and so much grace.  All in a day’s search for ancestors.

There are not words to describe what we saw and experienced today!  Truly, I am speechless – and even words from the keyboard fail.

We went out this afternoon on a whale watching boat out of Provincetown, at the very end tip of Cape Cod.  Not really expecting to see anything much, but just wanting to enjoy the beauty of the day, we bought our tickets and set out.

Almost before we were out of the harbor, someone spotted a whale.  Suffice it to say, we had no shortage of whales to watch.  We saw Northern Right whales – a rare sighting as there are so few left in the world.  We saw several Humpbacks, a Minke, a Fin Whale, and one other that I can’t remember now.  I should brush up on my whale species!

I was marveling at the incredible display of nature as these mammoth mammals played and sprayed and slapped their tails – all seemingly for our enjoyment – as I snapped away with my camera.

And then the most amazing thing happened.  Three humpbacks that had been playing and feeding at a distance came closer to the boat and rose together to feed almost beneath our feet.  And immediately after taking a mouth full of dinner they rolled and played even closer to the boat.  I was looking right down on three incredible creatures that I had never seen before and my SD card in my camera flashed FULL.  I could do nothing.  Mesmerized by the beauty before me I just watched and reflected how this is a lesson for me to remember to be “in the moment.”  A camera can’t capture everything.  I had to just take it all in and capture the beauty and the moment in my memory.

While I did get several hundred other shots of the day, the one that survives in my mind with brilliant focus is the one that I was only able to capture with my eyes.  Extraordinary beauty!  And, a feeling of deep humility to be sharing this water planet with these amazing creatures.

Grace beyond grace found today in the waters just beyond Cape Cod.

I’ve never thought much about connecting with my ancestors who have been long gone for many centuries.  But, my husband’s passion for ancestry research has uncovered that I am related to the Rev. Elder William Brewster and his wife Mary, who came to this country on the Mayflower in 1620.  And just standing in the spot where they first set foot on this land in Plymouth, MA brought them alive for me like few other actions could.

We spent a lovely, leisurely day in Plymouth walking the waterfront, visiting Brewster Park, and finding William and Mary’s grave site in the cemetery on the hill overlooking the bay.  The views were stunning and our lunch in a little family Italian restaurant was delicious!  Despite so much beauty, with spring exploding around us and history around every corner, I spent much of the day reflecting on the words of William Bradford (the first governor of Plymouth Colony) describing my ancestor, William Brewster:

 . . . a man that had suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospel’s sake. . . he was qualified above many, he was wise and discrete, and well spoken . . . of a very cheerful spirit . . . undervaluing himself and his own abilities.

I was so moved because, reflecting on these words, I felt a kindred spirit with the man.  My husband reminded me that in my own ministry and work he has heard others express similar thoughts about me.  And, I wonder how much is in the DNA?  Or is it grace, or luck, or simply love, or hard work, commitment, or dedication?  How will we ever know?  It’s something to ponder about for sure.

Today was graced in many ways and I feel a new and profound connection to my roots that go back to the 1620’s.

How can we make spring last longer?  I think we’ve figured out the secret.  Just keep moving north!  Spring in D.C. was lovely and spring in New York was just coming into it’s fullness a couple of days ago, now in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, spring is just beginning.  And, it’s gorgeous!

We spent the day in New Bedford, MA visiting the Whaling National Historical Park.  What amazing and interesting things we learned about whaling.  It is because of the whaling industry that New Bedford got the name “The city that lit the world.” Whale oil revolutionized the country by providing light after the sun went down!  We also were reminded of the consequences of the whaling industry!  Species are now extinct and endangered because of the greed of humanity.  We have caused damage that we have no power to repair.

Much of New Bedford’s central waterfront district remains with the same look it had during the hay day of whaling.  Buildings built of stone and brick, with ornamental frontals and narrow cobblestone streets are the norm.  We enjoyed walking the town and were amazed at the signs of spring that were just emerging here.

Returning to the motel through Newport, RI again, we stopped to find the Turo Synagogue that is the first Synagogue in our country due to Roger Williams and his insistence on religious freedoms.

We made our way back through Ft. Adams and walked the perimeter of the fort just to see the beautiful views once again.  And, no visit to Newport would be complete without at least a drive on Bellevue Avenue past the magnificent mansions that remain from the  gilded age in American history.  We opted out of touring any homes, but enjoyed the view from the car!

So we’ll have to remember next time when winter seems too long and spring seems slow in coming that we can actually extend the beauty of springtime.  Simply start from a southern location and when the trees and flowers have bloomed and passed, move north and you can experience it all over again, and again.  It seems like magic.  It’s certainly grace.  And we have enjoyed every minute.

There is something about time travel that has always fascinated me.  Whether it is science fiction, or a trip through a National Historic Park, both allow us to travel through a time and experience something that is far from what we know.  Today was a day for time travel to the past.

We started out the morning in Providence, Rhode Island at the center of the city opposite the capital building.  The Visitor’s Center dedicated to Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, was very informative.  Roger Williams, a gifted minister and preacher, left England in 1631 because of religious conflicts.  After arriving in Boston, he was forced to leave that area in 1636 for the very same reasons he had left England.  Founding the territory of Rhode Island, he was determined to make it a religiously free territory where anyone could practice the religion of their choice – or no religion at all.  His writings on religious freedom were a major influence on Thomas Jefferson and the founders of our country.  His remains are buried on a hill overlooking the city of Providence and his statue stands a top the hill, giving his blessing to the city.

From the 1630’s we traveled north and forward in time to the 1790’s and into the history of the Blackstone River Valley in Massachusetts.  We learned about the American industrial revolution and the thousands of small mill towns that manufactured the the fabric that would help to make our country independent from England.  The story of the mill towns and the child labor, as well as company towns, is a sad one.  It was progress – but at what cost?  Many immigrant families, including the children as young as six years old, worked 12 hour days in the mills that were powered by the Blackstone River.  Many mills throughout the Valley stayed in production until the early 1900’s when water power was no longer the only source of energy.  Electricity allowed mills to be built closer to the cotton crops and the major industry of the valley moved into the south, closer to the cotton fields.

Venturing further north, and back into the 18th century, we found the birth place, home and family farm of John and Abigale Adams and their children, one of whom also became president, John Quincy.  The area is proud of its native sons and every block is replete with history and markers to denote the church they attended, the home they built, their carriage house and the like.  It felt like standing in a reverent place when I was in the garden outside the house.  It was a beautiful spring day and the family spirit seemed to remain despite the space of years.

And for the final time travel of the day, we drove south and into the last century, to one summer when I was a student home from college and living with my folks in Newport, RI.  We found the old house and walked the park surrounding the housing area that was once Ft. Adams, as the sun was setting over Narraganset Bay.  I remember evenings spent sitting on a rock in that very same place writing letters to the love of my life, who seven months later would become my husband.

It was a beautiful way to end the day of time travel and come back to the present.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.”

Thankfully, I think we had pockets and bags and memories full of the beautiful today, because we found it everywhere we looked!  Never having been on Long Island before, we wanted to explore all that we could.  However, time does encroach on all that may be possible.  So, we opted for a side trip to Fire Island, a long coastal spit that experienced major damage during Hurricane Sandy.  Fire Island is the longest outer bank in the US that has no established road, and it is totally preserved in its natural state.  The weather was magnificent today and the pictures do not do justice to the beauty and grace that we found there!

Traveling on, we drove the entire length of Long Island and stopped in Orient, at the ferry dock, for a bite of lunch while we waited for the Cross Sound Ferry to carry us to New London, CT.  Lunch was extraordinarily good, and the 90 minute ferry ride was stunning – so much beauty surrounded us.

Docking in New London, CT on the Thames River, we found our way back to the highway and decided to end our day’s journey and rest in Warwick, RI.

It is true, traveling does not make the world beautiful.  But, traveling does help us to see different things and appreciate the many beautiful and spectacular views we can have while taking in sights that are new and different from any we have seen before. If we carry beauty with us, we will see it everywhere.

The same can be true of grace.

Beautiful sun greeted us as we packed out of our Bordentown, NJ motel and made our way into New York state.  We were a little nervous after hearing so much about how New York traffic is worse than D.C.’s.  Suffice it to say, we could not image it.  So, we decided to bypass Manhattan and make a return trip at some future point when we would not have to deal with the car.

I have to admit that because I wasn’t driving, it was exciting as we came close to the city.  We could see the skyline as we drove across Staten Island and made our way into Queens and further across Long Island.  I became a frantic tourist and began taking shots out the car window!  I was able to get a passable shot of Lady Liberty among the traffic and a glimpse of the Brooklyn Bridge before we went on into Queens.

There we found the grave site of my favorite actor, and then made a wrong turn and found a lovely Italian cafe for a late lunch / early dinner.  Well, we couldn’t visit New York without having pizza!

In Oyster Bay on Long Island, we found beautiful countryside and amazing homes and landscapes.  We visited the home of Teddy Roosevelt at Sagamore Hill; enjoyed the museum; and walked among the budding trees and spring foliage on the grounds.  Then we found the grave site of my 10th great grandfather who was buried near Oyster Bay in 1672.  It’s a beautiful spot and it was a beautiful afternoon.

We didn’t travel far in miles, but we traveled a great distance in recovering history and connecting with the past.  The entire day was grace!

Downloading my pictures this morning brought back the beauty of last evening.  We couldn’t fully appreciate it in our weary exhaustion at the end of such a long day.  But, I did manage to capture the moment – at 65 miles an hour through the car’s windshield – so I can return to it with further pause, reflection and appreciation.

We were welcomed into New Jersey at 9:00 pm last evening with a full moon rising over the Delaware Bay.  This is what grace looked like for us yesterday.

After some silence, I’m trying to begin again.

And, this time, for this period of time, since so many are asking about our plans for travel back home to Seattle, I’m going to travel log a bit.  So, this is Day One.

We awoke at 6 am so we could strip the bed and pack the last boxes before the truck came to pack us out of D.C.  It took all of four hours, but it was a full four hours!  Three men working non-stop carrying all our belongings down four flights of stairs.  I’ll bet they didn’t go to the gym today after work!

One of the men helping us move had a beautiful analogy.  When we were apologizing for having so many books, he said that living and accumulating things is like an oak tree.  At first the tree is tiny and small, but over the years it grows and grows and after it matures it provides a beautiful shade and demonstrates great strength and beauty.  So, when we grow over the years, we too, mature and accumulate things that help us to provide restful shade and show our inner strength and deep beauty.  He made having a lot to move sound really lovely!  It sounded like grace.

After the men with the truck left, we made a mad sweep of cleaning the apartment and worked ourselves into a sweat.  Then we packed up our little Prius so full she groaned and refused to leave space to see out the back window.  But, she faithfully gave us 50.3 mpg as we made our way north out of D.C., through Maryland, Delaware, and into New Jersey.

And now it’s time to rest.  Remember to rest!  Tomorrow is another day.