Bow Rotary is a relatively small show I often begin the season with. It draws many of the same cars year after year, and I refrained from photographing some I have shot many times before. Still, I came away with 55 photos, not a bad score. You can see those I admired most at this link:
The storm blitzed New York before moving north into New England. Hardest hit were southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape and Rhode Island. Comparisons to the Blizzard of '78 were inevitable. In 2026, Providence, RI's 37.9 inches topped the 27.6 that fell in the city in 1978.
But overall, '78 is still the champ, hands down. Peak wind in '78 was 111 miles per hour in Scituate, MA as opposed to '26's 83 on Nantucket Island. The '78 storm raged for days, '26 barely over 24 hours. The '78 storm lasted through four tide cycles with major flooding, '26 through one with minor flooding. Tragically, there were 100 storm-related deaths in '78, none reported in '26.
The storm was four days ago and many communities are still digging out. Many are still without power, but crews are doing a fantastic job of getting everyone back online.
The Yankee Swap, as usual, was the highlight of Christmas Eve. They used to set a limit of $10, but in recent years some pretty classy gifts have been donated. Before you swap, you should give some thought to just what you're holding in your hand.
I find it hard to believe, but I'm now at the top of four generations. I have great grandnephews and great grandnieces whose names I don't even know.
Share some of the fun with us in this series of photos and videos at this link:
https://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas25/
It could have been a nostalgic return, but the city is so changed that if you dropped me in the middle of any part of it, I would find almost nothing I recognized. Thomas Wolfe wrote "You Can't Go Home Again" and that's very true.
It was a small but pleasant show, dominated by muscle cars, but with a few old standards, and many friendly owners who loved to talk about their cars. You can see what I saw at this link:
The Shaker Village is always impressive. Held late in the season, at least for New England, it usually features many valuable classics that are being exhibited for the last time before being put away for the winter. There are always many Model A Fords, an occasional Model T, a 12-cylinder 1941 Lincoln Continental and other classics, along with antique trucks.
Weather was a bit chilly but sunny. Fall color was dull from the long drought as was the case with the Castle Car Show two weeks ago. For an additional ticket price you can have a guided tour of the historic Shaker Village and its buildings, definitely worthwhile if you've never been there.
My photo coverage and a video can be seen at this link:
https://www.linwoodstreet.com/shakercars25/
Except for the loss of the Carriagetown Show, other shows have been growing in number of cars and spectators, and this show was no exception. I can't remember cars being so densely packed into the spacious field.
You can see my selection of some of the finest, along with a video showing the procedure for starting a steam-powered Stanley at this link:
https://www.linwoodstreet.com/castle2025/
You can't blame a lack of interest. The show attracted a few hundred vehicles and mobs of spectators right up to this year. Amesbury has a photogenic, hilly downtown with excellent restaurants and quaint shops, and the Powwow River tumbling down through its center.
This is just another of several excellent New England car shows that have been lost in recent years. I hope this isn't a trend for the future. The hobby needs more youthful participants. Be sure to select the following link to the final appearance of this excellent show.
https://www.linwoodstreet.com/carriagetown2025/
