Friday, February 22, 2008

Rare And Picture-Heavy Post

I know, I know...it's Friday.  And I don't usually post on Friday, having given myself permission to take a day off on a weekly basis.  I kind of run out of things to say by Friday and I'm usually all tuckered out by then.  You deserve better than a tired, brain dead Sheepie.

But, as this has been a school vacation week, I'm a little more perky.  So, I'm posting.  With great perk.

About a million years ago, Bells (one of my favorite "other side of the planet" type bloggers) shared some pictures she'd taken on a stroll about the neighborhood and suggested that others consider doing the same.  After all, she pointed out, what is a daily view for you might not be for others.  I thought that was a brilliant idea and planned to head out to share the view from my perspective as soon as possible.

But, I never did.  Other stuff came up.  That, or I was fully engaged in my Summer Of Driving Amongst The Tourists Fueled Rage and couldn't face going out there to take pictures.  It was one of those things...

Today, though, I remembered this mission and thought that winter pix of my little corner of the world might be interesting.  I live in a resort town, one that has no pretensions towards glamour.  We cater to the family vacationing on a budget.  Every few years, someone gets the bright idea to try and fancy the place up a bit.  But it never really works out.  We are what we are: a place on the beach where you can get fries, cheap t-shirts and a sunburn.  And that's not such a bad thing to be, really.

In winter, the whole place gets pretty quiet and has its own sort of beauty, especially on a day like today with a storm getting ready to commence.  The parking is better, too.  You can't get cotton candy.  That's something of a drawback.  But, it is still a pretty unique place to call home.  So, for your viewing pleasure, I give you a tour of the sights a couple of miles from my house.  You will have to imagine the below-freezing temperatures.  There is little I will not do for you.  I'll even risk getting a chill.  I'm a giver.



Looking towards the ocean, you can see the gulls at play:


Hi, gulls!!


Turn around and you can see a place for the people to play:


Finding a seat is a little tricky this time of year, though...


"The Pier" is something of a local landmark.  However, this one is not the pier of my childhood.  That was destroyed during a particularly nasty storm back in 1978.  A new one was built in 1980.


See?


All new 'n shiny!!!


In my town, they raise the Jolly Roger: 


Doesn't yours?



The rides are all locked up and patiently waiting for a new round of visitors seeking a thrill:


"Euro Slide?"  Best not to ask...




This one drew me in for some reason.




Driving School


The best part of being on vacation is allowing yourself to be someone else for a little while:


...maybe even someone who sports a tattoo.


And, of course, there is the food.  What's a beach vacation without some of that deep fried goodness from the sea?


And fried dough.  Not from the sea, but pretty darned good!


This one is handily located next to the arcade just in case the kids have had a little too much sun 'n sugar.  A few quarters can buy a lot of peace for Mom and Dad.


 I stepped over the railroad tracks on the way back to my nice, warm truck.  Seconds later, the warning bells went off.  The train was a-comin'!


So I risked potential frostbite and waited in order that I might snap one last picture.  Like I said...I'm a giver.


I do hope you enjoyed our walk through the beach-side area of my little town during its hibernation period.  In a few short months, it will look very different.  The rides, shops and concessions will all be unchained, dusted off and opened up to the vacationing public.  Things are very cool-looking in that condition, too.  Just in a different sort of way.  Now, let's all go get a nice cup of cocoa, warm up just a bit and enjoy the snows that have begun to fall.  Tomorrow, when my fingers thaw out, I may even be able to resume regular knitting-type blogging.

Unless, of course, I am still trying to figure out what the condo association wants me to do about parking my truck during snow removal.  I have yet to work out that particular issue.

Maybe I just should have left it down at the pier...

SA

20 comments:

debsnm said...

It looks "turrible" cold at your house! I think I'll just stay here, where it's nice and warm. Thanks for the tour!

sheep#100 said...

Fried dough and lobstah rolls!

Best not let Neatnik see your post today: she just asked me when she can go someplace to buy tickets to go on rides!

Donna Lee said...

My parents live in Brigantine,NJ which is a semi resort town right next to Atlantic City. There was a Pier a block over from their house which had a haunted castle in it that was locally famous. The sounds of the Tocatta and Fugue in D minor would waft on the summer air ALL SUMMER. EVERY NIGHT UNTIL 11:00. There were shops and arcade type games. I loved it as a kid. It burned down in the 70's and they never rebuilt it. The pilings are still there, kinda sad.

Leigh said...

Interesting photos. Must be awfully cold as you seem to have the place to yourself!

April said...

I'm gonna go visit Sheepie this summer! And have fried dough!

Anonymous said...

What a cute and fun little town you live in! I lived in a small resort town in northern MN when I was in high school, and my parents continued to live there for almost 20 more years. It was a fun place in the summer -- tourist boys from The Cities and points south, parties in the woods -- but as someone else mentioned, turrible cold in the winter. Thanks for the tour!

Ronni said...

Lovely tour of your town. We may have to come out for a visit sometime. My daughter appears to be collecting amusement parks and such.

Kath said...

Very cool and interesting, thanks for the tour! I live in a tourism economy so I fully understand the seasonal issues. In the off-season, as our mayor put it, you can roll a bowling ball down Front Street and not hit anyone.

mehitabel said...

Looks pretty damn wonderful to me. But then, we used to sometimes go to a little beachy town in Maine in the summer. Maybe next time I'm on the Right Coast I'll have to come up and see how things are there nowadays!

Anonymous said...

That looks just like it did when I was there a few years ago. Except colder and less crowded. :) Thanks for the tour!

Mia said...

oh great.. now I'm gonna be cravin' crab legs! You might get the tourists, but the sea food surely must make it worth it!

Anonymous said...

Hey I know where you live! Very cool and oh so fun when it's warm.

yarnslinger said...

wow, I've never seen it in the winter - how sad it looks! I've always wondered how the beach businesses around here really make any money - they start opening up in April, but the crowds don't really arrive til June, and then they are gone in September. OTOH, I could get into working 6 months on/6 months off!!

Ms. Mitz said...

Wow, me and my Meowmie really enjoyed your stroll around the neighbourhood. But where is Persephone? Aaaaw....perhaps holding the camera LOL.

Great pics Sheep, thanks for sharing.

Mitz and her Meowmie

Teri S. said...

I like your town in winter. I suspect I'd like it a lot less with the touristas around (I'm not one who likes to be around hordes of people). Thanks for sharing. Stay warm and good luck levitating your truck!

Lynne said...

Thanks for that tour. As another reader from the 'other side of the planet' [about 300km - 185 miles - from Bells], it is fascinating to see 'how the other half lives'.

Cathy said...

Now that's a post worth waiting for!! Sheepie does have wonderful scenes up her sleeve!

Love the clock, too.

Army_Wifey08 said...

mmmmmmmmm...pier fries.....lisa's pizza....::drooling:: when Jarrid and I come to visit I think that boy needs to learn the fine points of OOB!

Molly Bee said...

Thanks for this post! I've not been to OOB in yee-ahs and yee-ahs! Thanks for the walk down memory lane on a cold, snowy Wisconsin maw-nin!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tour! I really like to visit Maine in the pre-tourist season. It's fun to have so very much of the ocean to yourself. Cold, but fun.