It was quite the hauntingly comforting scene on Tuesday — mist rising from the Shrewsbury River from the Sea Bright side to Rumson and all the way to Highlands.
Then the sun poked through the clouds, the mist evaporated and it was time for a little reflection … of the crystalline riverfront view onto the water and life in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
Fair Havenite Sandi Richards-von Pier captured the moments.
Take a look … (and don’t forget to click to enlarge!)
Why did the retired Knollwood School teacher cross the frozen river?
To teach her grandchildren to walk on water Rumson-Fair Haven area way? To get to the other side? Or, perhaps, to just celebrate a time-honored area tradition? Maybe a bit of all three.
Former Phys Ed and Health teacher Eileen Kubaitis, nonetheless, geared up, grandchildren in tow, and took the trek across the Navesink the other day when the water was frozen. How could one resist? When the weather is pretty frightful, but there’s such a simple adventure in the offing, the only thing to do is get walking — on water, or ice, as it were.
A lot of people in the area look forward to doing this when the water freezes, giving them a walking path across the river to the Middletown side.
Kubaitis and company were no exception. They were among quite a few others recently. Though, the retired Knollwood teacher tells us that they didn’t actually reach the other side, but came close. “We stopped about 20 feet away because at that point no one was in front of us,” she said.
Hey, they had fun and did their R-FH area civic duty to do their best to get to the other side!
Don’t try this at home, kids … at least until the ice freezes up again.
The big thaw has begun …
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures will reach a high of 40 degrees today with a low of about 26 tonight. Tomorrow, weather will be about the same with mostly sunny skies and a high of roughly 39 degrees.
The view from Hartshorne Woods of Rumson and the Oceanic at the end of a winter’s day is a soothing reminder of what a wonderful world in which we live here in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
Day is done.
— Elaine Van Develde
It’s a tradition. Every year, Rumsonites gather, socialize, listen to some music by the Deane-Porter Third Grade Chorus and Tim McLoone & The Shirleys, dance a little, drink a little hot cocoa, nibble on some homemade cookies and celebrate the start of the holiday season with the tree lighting at Victory Park.
The tradition continued on Sunday evening. Spirits were high and all seemed to have a festive time.
Take a look … (and don’t forget to CLICK to ENLARGE!)
— Elaine Van Develde
Friday night in Fair Haven was a night all about seasonal song, a little dancing, festivities, socializing and, of course, Santa. It was the night of the annual tree lighting.
As tradition goes, on the 11th day of November at the 11th hour, veterans were honored for their service
Many present, this year lifetime Fair Haven Fire Department member Vinny Feeny, a U.S. Navy veteran, was the honored speaker.
Take a look at the photos below for a glimpse into the ceremony … (and don’t forget to click to enlarge.)
It was the year that Halloween wasn’t. It was 2012 and Superstorm Sandy had pummeled the Jersey Shore. It decimated Sea Bright and destroyed low lying parts of Rumson. Fair Haven was a bit war torn and powerless.
Beach cabanas landed like Dorothy’s house to the Witch of the East on West Park lawns. Boats were hoisted by surging water onto dock tops and back yards. Gunning Island, in the Shrewsbury River, was loaded with the moored belongings of Sea Bright and Rumson people. Trees were downed. Transformers exploded.
Sea Bright residents were homeless. The beach was in the road. Sea Bright Rising began with some good-hearted burger flipping by Woody’s owner Chris Wood and chef Onofrio Moscato. The U.S. Army National Guard was parked in the Sea Bright municipal lot. There was no electricity.
There was a curfew. At nightfall, people scurried back into their homes, if there was anything left to go home to, like moles burrowing into cold, still night. Things were awfully dark. And Halloween was cancelled. There was no treat in Sandy’s trickery, just in the kindness of those who were good neighbors.
Take a look back … (and click to enlarge).
— Elaine Van Develde
Photos/Elaine Van Develde
“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.” ~ L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
A lot of heart is what the Rumson girl everyone knew as Kit Rowett had. A lot of people loved her — some who even only knew her for a moment. I guess you could say that this impish-grinned, twinkly-eyed Wizard gave her heart to the Tin Man.
And, boy, did he cry. He smiled a lot, too. This Tin Man, embodied as the many loved ones who had a piece of Kit’s heart, smiled a wide, collective, rust-proof smile on Saturday as a celebratory goodbye was bid to the Jersey girl loved and lost on Sept. 19 after a valiant battle with cancer.
Continue reading Saying Goodbye to Rumson Jersey Girl Kit Rowett WhiteIt wasn’t the Addams Family, but Sunday’s Fair Haven Halloween parade certainly brought out a lot of creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky and altogether ooky friends and neighbors for a little marching and celebrating of the season of the witch, pumpkin, ghost and anything else of a fall haunting ilk.
The Fair Haven Fire Department Fire Police & Auxiliary Car Show made its 18th appearance on the firehouse grounds on Sunday.
In the hopes of having a bit more sun to shine on the day, organizers shifted it to the rain date from the originally planned Saturday event.
There was a big showing and turnout.
Take a look (and please forgive the blurriness of some of the photos. The photographer was a bit out of focus herself with a fall cold.) But, don’t forget to enlarge! Enjoy!
— Elaine Van Develde
It’s unseasonably warm. The Navesink River is drenched in sun. And the seagulls are soaking what may just be the last summery fall day all up.
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