September 2007

Volume 2, Issue 7

COMMUNICATIONS

i was recently asked to describe my writing/communication style.                     

it is not e e cummings, but to my wife's (and editor's) chagrin, i do violate many of the accepted rules of the english language.   i do this because i believe a writing style should reflect a speaking style.  even as eloguent a user of the english language as winston churchill recognized some of the nuances of our language, and, with tongue in cheek had a bit of fun stating that ending a sentence with a preposition was something up with which he would not put.

so..........here are a few thoughts.

it is a style with its own recipe:

                 1 part andy rooney

                 2 hunks charles kuralt

                 1 dash southwest flavor

                 2 dashes swamp yankee knowledge

                 a southwest splash of baxter black

                 and another of dennis weaver's mcleod

                 a spin of will rogers

                 a touch of gene perret insight

                 a tweak of frank deford

                 a pinch of golf etiquette (with a touch of gary mccord)

                 a gnash of ogden nash

                 some paul james gardening stuff

                 a touch of samantha brown's perkiness

                 season with some garrison keillor

mix all ingredients with a few beers and/or a pinch of pinch scotch and many years of experience.

attempt to serve monthly.

thanks again for stopping by

jerry saywell

JULY 2007

Volume 2, Issue 6

Moving on.

It's time.  Time for Marcie and Jerry to think about downsizing and moving on.  So, we have put our neat house in Usquepaugh, Rhode Island,  on the market and have arranged a rental closer to our Gallery right here in Wakefield. 

We've been in Usquepaugh for 22 years and had the house set up to accomodate the kids and grandkids; but with Nat and Jodi in Maine, and Chris and Dana in Tennessee, we no longer have the family reunions that we geared up for. 

So.....if you're looking for heaven on earth, check out our listing with Ned Caswell of ReMax Flagship!  A really neat house with most of the surrounding area protected from further development.  Across the river, the development rights have been deeded away, so the view will never change.  At the end of our driveway, the property has been preserved as the Crawley Preserve; a 100 acre tract with hiking and horse trails throughout (no motorized stuff allowed).   Bring your horse and enjoy a great riding experience.

We're also thinking of moving to New Mexico in the not too distant future.  Having travelled extensively throughout the southwest over the last decade, the Land of Enchantment continually sings to us, so we thought we should give it a shot.  Problem being, however, where in New Mexico do we want to consider settling down!  So many good choices!  After careful deliberation we have settled on the Taos area, even though the golf options there appear to be somewhat limited......maybe that's the message Marcie wants to convey!

So, if you're considering buying a house in Usquepaugh, why not consider buying an established (20 years now) American Crafts Gallery in Wakefield!!  Great customers, great vendors, in the landmark retail building on our Main Street in Historic Wakefield. Great turnkey opportunity!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Jerry Saywell

JUNE 2007

Volume 2, Issue 5

SHUNPIKING #1

Shunpiking  (Def) -  Avoiding major travel arteries. 

While our interstate road system is a marvel unto itself, and certainly helps us to get from point A to point B in a convenient and timely manner, it often bypasses some of what America was, is and will continue to be....people and places.  When we travel, we often take our byroads, reflecting back to the writings and meanderings of Charles Kuralt and Jack Kerouac in the decades of our youth.

We'll do a series on where we shunpike best, and, since we live in this great part of Rhode Island called "South County", let's start with some of our local best back road jaunts here in South County.

                                                                    ROUTE 91

Route 91 begins near the Connecticut Line and goes east through the villages of Bradford, Burdickville, and Wood River Junction, terminating at the intersection of Route 112 in the village of Carolina.  Many of the dams which powered the 19th century textile mills in this part of the state are still around.  Even some of the mills are.  There are several spots along Route 91 where you can stop and see them; maybe even catch a fish!  If you want to mail a letter or postcard,  there are also several small - I mean really small - post offices along this route where waiting in line is a rare occurrence.  You might even get a chance to see the Acela Train as she goes through South County at over 100 miles per hour.  At the intersection of Route 112 (a nice shunpike by itself) in Carolina where Route 91 ends, you can turn right and connect with South County Trail in Charlestown, or turn left and connect with Route 138 in Richmond.                                  

                                                         MINISTERIAL ROAD

Ministerial Road, Route 110 in South Kingstown, is a peaceful 7 mile trek from it's southern end at Route 1 in Perryville to its northern end at Route 138 near the URI Campus in West Kingston.  Forever protected from the ravages of straight road engineering through legislation enacted by our late Senator John H. Chafee years back, Ministerial Road reminds us of how this entire area must have looked centuries ago.  This month the native Rhododendron and Laurel along the road really bring it to life, and in the fall, the trees display the great colors New England is so noted for.  Worden's Pond, Rhode Island's largest natural fresh water pond, is just west of Ministerial road, and is accessible by going west on Worden's Pond Road (at the only traffic light on Ministerial Road).

                                                     SOUTH COUNTY TRAIL

South County Trail (Route 2) begins at the intersection of Route 102 in North Kingstown (right opposite Oatley's Restaurant), and is a 15 mile trip through the towns of Exeter, South Kingstown and Charlestown, terminating at the Intersection of Route 1 in Charlestown.  Schartner Farms, on your right just after you leave Route 102, is a great stop for local produce, flowers and plants.   Farther down on the left is the family owned and operated Homestead Restaurant, where you can grab a great lunch or dinner, and their clams casino are almost as good as mine. The only traffic signal on South County Trail  is about halfway, at the intersection of Route 138.  This light is scheduled to be replaced by a roundabout in the near future;  years ago it was a Rotary, so it will be nice to have it back, even though it will now be called a "Roundabout"; the J Michael Bennett Roundabout.  South of this intersection, South County Trail passes through the Great Swamp, some of South County's numerous turf farms and the Narragansett Indian lands on its way to Charlestown.  A couple of miles south of the turf farms you will see a sign on the left for the Nordic Lodge.  It's only a couple of miles away, and really out in the boonies, but if you are hungry, and I mean REALLY hungry, this is the place for you.  They serve up an all you can eat buffet that, while fairly expensive (it's $70.00 this year), simply cannot be matched - it looks like a centerfold spread from Gourmet Magazine.  Farther down South County Trail, Rippy's Marketplace on the left is a convenient stop for sundries and offers an extensive selection of wines.  The Gentleman Farmer Restaurant, a bit farther down on the right, is a locals' breakfast and lunch stop.

So there are three of our local roads that offer up some of the charm and history of South County.   Hope you have an opportunity to enjoy them.

Thanks again for stopping by.  Happy Shunpiking!!

Jerry Saywell

May 2007

Volume 2, Issue 4

Chowhound

Travelling to an area you are not familiar with?  Want to know if there are any good eats in that area?  Got an urge to return to a restaurant that was the nuts decades ago?  Check out www.chowhound.com to get the skinny on where the good stuff really is.

This site becomes addictive because it is so interactive and fun to follow.  Just for kicks I'll give you a list of a few restaurants we happen to enjoy...in alphabetical order.

                Aidens Pub, Bristol,  RI

                Alley Cantina, Taos, NM

                Anita's Cocina, Wickenburg,  AZ

                Bavarian Inn, Shepherdstown,  WV

                Beale Street Barbeque, Bath, ME

                Black Bull Tavern, Rockland,  ME

                Bluebird Cafe, Wakefield,  RI

                Braddock's Tavern, Medford,  NJ

                British Beer Company,  Hyannis,  MA

                Coffee Pot Restaurant, Sedona,  AZ

                Cove Restaurant, Charlestown, RI

                Crazy Burger, Narragansett,  RI

                Diane's Restaurant, Silver City,  NM

                Earl's Restaurant, Gallup,  NM

                El Corral, Tucson, AZ

                El Sombrero, Socorro, NM

                Flatbread Company, Portland,  ME

                Harraseeket Inn (Broad Arrow Tavern), Freeport,  ME

                Harry's Roadhouse, Santa Fe,  NM

                Jamestown Oyster Bar, Jamestown,  RI

                King Eider's Pub, Damariscotta, ME

                La Posta, Old Mesilla(Las Cruces), NM

                Le Garage Restaurant, Wiscasset,  ME

                Margarita's Mexican Restaurant, Mystic,  CT

                Outpost Bar & Grill, Carrizozo,  NM

                Owl Cafe, San Antonio, NM

                Pantry Restaurant, Santa Fe,  NM

                Rathskellar, Chapel Hill,  NC

                Richard's Pub, North Kingstown,  RI

                Shelter Harbor Inn, Westerly,  RI

                Taos Diner, Taos, NM

                Turquoise Room at La Posada, Winslow, AZ

                Trail Dust Steak House, Westminster, CO

                Waterworks, Rockland, ME

                Widow Fletcher's Tavern, Hampton,  NH

Hope you have a chance to try out one of our favorites!

Thanks again for dropping by.  Drop us a line.

Jerry