Obama effect on Martha's Vineyard

The leader of the free world just happens to be staying where Mr. MD 
and I were headed to pick up my 19 year old son Colin.
 His summer job has ended and he is headed back to school.

So we booked a ferry trip and signs of Obama 
were evident as soon as we got in line.

A bomb sniffing dog checked out our truck and all the 
cars and trucks waiting to board the 2:30 boat.

Inside the ferry, we were at the head of the line with a nice waterview,

 when I spotted out in the water....something unusual.

A Coast Guard boat with a machine gun mounted on its bow.

In all my many travels, I have never seen this before.

Such a gorgeous day to travel to the island.

One of those perfect summer days..

 A pair of armed escorts travelled with us to the pretty little island.

Martha's Vineyard is about an hour and half drive from Boston, 

and then a 45 minute ferry ride.

My parents have lived here for 30 years, 

and before that dragged us 5 kids along for summer vacations.

As soon as we got to my parents house,

 we headed over to see Colin at his summer job~a garden center.

 He was on his last day and we were very happy to see him!

 It is the first summer I have spent without him, and I missed him a lot.

 He is one of those cheerful pleasant sorts,

 and his positive energy is a blessing to be around.

We posed for a photo in front of the 

new variety of hydrangea called Vanilla Strawberry !

 It is supposed to be spectacular, 

with flowers ranging from white to hot pink as time goes on.

Then I grabbed a pic with my mom...

isn't she cute and all islandy looking?

She is the current club champ for golf at Farm Neck golf club.

 So proud of you mom!

While I am sharing family photos, here is one of my mom and dad. 

They were picking out a butterfly bush and a blue rose of sharon

 for their garden and happy to get Colin's discount on his last day of employment!

 My dad is seeing what the heck this giant pink flower is...

 I think it is something right of Alice in Wonderland.

Cute little out building with an iron squirrel.

Even though I detest squirrels in my own garden, this one is cute.

 The fabulous Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea!

 I love walking around garden centers, 

and this one on the island is so great.

Le Jardin Mahoneys~oh, its French! No wonder I like it!

Drifts of impatience and begonias around large New England hunks of granite.

So that was my first hour on the vineyard~seeing my son

 and walking through the garden center.

We will be hitting Tashmoo today,

 which is a nice little "lake" that is a slice of heaven.

We have to drive through brush and back dirt roads 

and when you pop out at the beach 

there is nothing like it! Kid's author Judy Blume and

 ABC's Diane Sawyer have homes on this lake.

Diane bought her house from actress Lillian Helman and set an island record

for purchase price on island real estate. 

The double white chimneys really stand out when I sit on the opposite side

of her house on the beach. 

I hope to share its beauty with you later~

I will have my camera in hand...

and maybe I will even get to snap the President!