I knew Barbara first.  She died years ago, but Barbara Arsenian touched my life and many others with her spirit and sparkle, touched us enough to save lives.  I cherish the moments later on when I could return the favor in a small way, enough to reassure her a little bit when she could use it.

Robert Burgess, of Duxbury, died on July 11, after a long battle with cancer.  He was 77 years old. This past year Mr. Burgess taught Art at Lasell College and was an Art Teacher for more than 30 years in the Quincy Public Schools.

Paul Kenneth Arsenian, age 83, of Duxbury, died suddenly on July 6. Mr. Arsenian was born in Providence, RI on March 24, 1926 to the late John Paul Arsenian of Armenia and the late Elizabeth (Chatalian) Arsenian of Yugoslavia.

Legion baseball is back in town after a one-year hiatus, and appears to have a solid team for the 2009 season with Pembroke’s Ryan Kane managing and General Manager Peter Bizinkauskas running the organization.

Dave Caso and his crew aboard his Cherubini 44, Silhouette, have again won their class in the grueling Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race contested between June 19 and June 25.

Last weekend the Duxbury Bay Maritime School hosted the 2009 Duxbury Bay Junior 420 Regatta—the first major sailing event to be staged from DBMS’s spectacular new waterfront facility.  This two day regatta on Duxbury Bay included 23 boats from yacht clubs and schools all throughout Massachusetts.  Despite less than perfect weather all races were sailed and the event was deemed a success by all involved.  

Duxbury residents, eager for the first glimpse of good weather in what seemed like weeks, packed onto the beach for the annual 4th of July Beach Party Friday night. Despite a rising tide and a few scattered showers, the event was well attended and the music and bonfire went off without a hitch. Click for more photos.

The first day of the Duxbury Farmers Market, located in front of the former Tarkiln Schoolhouse on Route 53, was a rousing success, according to the event's organizers. The fair included fresh produce from local organic farmers, ready-to-eat meals and lobsters as well as arts and crafts from area artists. Click for more photos.

Big crowds and perfect weather –– that was the story of Duxbury’s 4th of July parade.

“It couldn’t have gone any better,” said Parade Co-chairwoman Maggie Kearney.

July is a pretty quiet month for backyard birds. Most are busy raising a new batch of offspring. All that passionate singing and strutting around in new feathers is pretty much over. Only the American Goldfinches are still in perfect plumage. They are the last of our common songbirds to nest.