There are still ways to embrace Newburyport’s coldest season
The months of February and March always marks a certain turning point in the life of a New Englander. The holidays are over but the holiday residuals can still remain.
Though your neighbor (aka: me) even now has her Christmas reindeer staked firmly into the still-frozen ground (though they are no longer lit, of course!), you can’t help but see spring on the distant horizon.
It’s there and it’s inevitable. You can feel it briefly in those rare days that rise slightly above freezing and inspire walks along the beach and Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffees.
It’s there in the one-page calendar flip to the month of March and the paper promise of jacket-free weather. It’s there in the lengthening of the day and all the smiling, sun-kissed faces attached to ridiculously toned beach bodies taunting you from the spring and summer apparel catalogues that crowd your mailbox.
You can almost taste it. Spring.
But, alas, you must only whisper the word because Mother Nature is a fickle beast. At a moment’s notice, she’ll pull the rug from beneath your freshly pedicured feet and faster than you can say Punxsutawney Phil, we’re in it for six more weeks, our dreams shattered. We find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a blizzard or ice storm or polar vortex and are muttering under our collective breath about the cold and shoveling and jerk snowplow drivers and the extended school year.
By now, we reel against anything and everything winter. A season that began back in December with such beauty and excitement.
I’ve lived in New England all my life and I’ve never cursed winter the way so many New Englanders now seem to do. I mean we know it comes every year, right? People scoffed at the way Atlanta and other southern cities handled a recent, and relatively modest snowstorm. But in New England, where snow is supposed to happen, take a look at your Facebook newsfeed or talk to your neighbor after the first few winter storms and you’re likely to hear the same complaints. There’s too much snow. It’s too cold. I hate winter. For many, living through winter is like living through the apocalypse.
I actually like the snow, and I don’t even ski.
Never have. I’m too chicken to try. But still, I experience a bit of excitement in the pit of my stomach, just like when I was a kid, when the weatherman calls for a Nor’easter or posts a winter storm warning. Sure. When those early signs of spring show themselves, I begin to pine for iced coffee and imagine myself wading in the cool waters of Plum Island Beach, my kids playing in the sand and giving me a few minutes of peace. I find myself starting to yearn for the easy-breezy days of no jackets and flip-flops.
But the change of seasons is part of the beauty of where we live. So we might as well get back to enjoying them all. Even winter. The way New Englanders were meant to. Because despite what they say about global warming, I don’t think it’s going anywhere for a long, long time. And unless you’re planning on moving to Florida, you’re stuck with it. So I say embrace it, and read on for a few ideas for making the most of our cold-weather conditions.
Get Outside
Don’t let the cold and snow stop you from getting out and enjoying the outdoors. After our third child was born, we bought this ridiculously expensive sled in which to tote our youngest around in the snow. It is totally enclosed, has a special insert so you can strap in a newborn bucket seat and a lead that you tie around your own waist. It’s sort of like a human dog sled.
We brought this contraption to Maudslay State Park, much to the amusement of fellow winter walkers, and my husband and I were able to take turns pulling our daughter around while the older kids snowshoed beside us on snow-covered trails. If you live in the area, you already know that the former Moseley Estate is a popular place for picnicking, trail walking, biking and horseback riding. But don’t forget about this 400-acre state park in the wintertime too.
True. Groomed trails are only a short drive away. But if you want to stay close to home strap on your boots, cross-country skis or snowshoes and explore this nearby treasure. Marvel at the local beauty; snow-covered pines, stone bridges and a view of the frozen Merrimack are not only picture-worthy, but awe-inspiring too.
Lace up your skates and take a spin or a slap shot at the Bartlett Mall or Mill Pond in West Newbury, where the West Newbury Winter Carnival takes place on Feb. 9 from 11am – 2pm. Or on really bitter days, check out the public skating schedule at the Graf Rink or the Rinks at Exeter in Exeter, NH, for an indoor skating adventure. Experience the adrenaline rush of coasting down March’s Hill in your favorite sled, or for the more adventurous, get towed up the monster hills at Amesbury Sports Park and race down in a snow tube. You can also check out the local conditions at Bradford Ski Area, a popular, family-friendly place for alpine skiing and snowboarding.
For those who don’t have the need for speed or the urge for woodsy exploration, try taking baby steps to getting back to the basics of enjoying the season. Venture out to your own back yard and build a snowstatue or create a fort. Organize a neighborhood barbeque and warm up after with an après snow party by the fire.
There are also some great outdoor events in the area designed to get you out and enjoying the area’s natural beauty. Every year, the Merrimack River Eagle Festival attracts nature-lovers from all over to celebrate the return of our national symbol, the bald eagle. Stop by the Joppa Flats Education Center to learn more about winter visitors from the North.
Also, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for snowy owls, which have been making appearances in recent weeks throughout the area. Visit the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for an ideal lookout spot for catching a glimpse of one of these amazing creatures.
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Fireside Dining and Foodie Tours
Newburyport is well-known for it’s tempting riverside dining, but you can still warm up to winter by enjoying some dinner or a drink (or two) at one of the local restaurants boasting a toasty fireplace. Sit back, relax and let Mother Nature rage outside while you rest your winter-weary body at Ten Center Street, Andiamo or the Black Cow and enjoy some music and fireside fare. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.
Chase away the winter blues this Valentine’s Weekend by escaping suburbia and heading into the big city for the 20th Annual Boston Wine Expo, Feb. 15-16 at the Seaport World Trade Center, where you can sample 1,800 wines from 300 international wineries. Brush up on your wine knowledge with seminars and tastings with wine experts. If chocolate is your weakness, consider registering for a Boston Chocolate Tour to discover the best places to score some of the city’s top treats. Choose from tours of the Back Bay and South End.
New Englanders will always say they love all four seasons, but there is a tipping point. Bottom line: Get outside before you go crazy.
Newburyport may be a seaside town, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon the fun during the winter. Bundle up. Take a walk on Plum Island or take a walk downtown.
Do some shopping. Stroll the boardwalk and let your kids watch chunks of ice float down the Merrimack. Grab a hot drink at Souflees (the Nutella latte is particularly good), Caffe Di Siena or the Atomic Café, Newburyport’s newest coffee purveyor. Order some lunch at the Purple Onion, Abraham’s, Middle Street Foods or Port City Sandwich Co. and then browse the Jabberwocky at the Tannery for a good, winter’s night read. (I just finished the post-apocalyptic story, Wool, by Hugh Howey, which I thought was excellent, and have now moved on to The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson.)
Find your artistic side. Try an evening “paint and sip” at the Grog, Michaels or Ten Center and meet some new friends. (See the Calendar section at HappyinNewburyport)
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If you make it through February, March can really start to turn around our seasonal slump.
Even if it comes in like a lion, there is a well-founded hope that it will go out like a lamb. In March, MLB Spring Training is in full swing, St. Patrick’s Day arrives and then the first official day of Spring, which means something to those of us feeling sun deprived and hanging on for dear life.
Start off the month getting your Irish on with a performance by traditional Irish music group Dervish, from County Sligo, Ireland. They perform their unique style of Celtic music at the Belleville Church on March 6 at 8pm.
Nothing symbolizes spring more than flowers. Green thumbs can enjoy the annual Boston Flower Show, taking place at the Seaport World Trade Center March 12-16. This year’s theme is Romance in the Garden, and will feature spectacular garden displays, lectures, demonstrations and much more.
Experience even more advice from gardening gurus and learn how to spruce up your home for spring at the standout Seacoast Home and Garden Show, taking place at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, NH, on March 29 and 30. Shop for flowers, garden supplies, hot tubs, home improvement products and brainstorm ideas for your next home project, indoors or out.
Still not feeling it? Of course you can head down to AAA in Newburyport and plan a short trip to Florida or Arizona. Get sun-kissed and re-energized during the hump months.
For many of us Spring begins with baseball. Gear up for the season and the 2013 World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox, when the 2013 World Series Trophy comes to Newburyport. It will be here March 22, from 11:30am – 2:30pm at the Newburyport Masonic Center!
Get an up close and personal look at the trophy won in front of the Red Sox’ hometown fans for the first time since 1918, and root, root, root for the home team when the Red Sox face the Brewers for their home opener at Fenway park on April 4.
Congratulations, we made it to the finish line.
Happy Spring!