Every weekend, we see more seasonal shops and restaurants re-opening.
The street trees along the business district are in full bloom. Our windy days ahead will create “spring flurries” of the white flowers.
Only 5 more weeks until Memorial Day weekend 🙂
The annual Easter Sunday Sunrise service will be held at the 30th Street pavilion overlooking the beach in Avalon NJ.
The ecumenical service, hosted by the local churches in Avalon and Stone Harbor, begins at 6am.
I drove past a golf cart on Dune Drive this morning (although the passengers were noticeably bundled up against the cold temps!)
And Hoy’s 5 & 10 in Avalon is back open for the season.
Summer is just around the corner 🙂
New on the sale market today!
4028 Ocean Drive, 2nd floor. $1,295,000.
MLS and pictures: click here
Virtual tour: click here
Thank you for your interest!
ann.delaney@tksir.com
609-967-7950
A repeat post from 2016:
On my father’s side: my grandmother was born in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland, and my grandfather grew up near Ballymena and the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. A real mixed marriage!
They met and married in Philadelphia, and vacationed in Stone Harbor each summer while raising 6 children (pictured in front of their compact rental cottage on Weber Court).
In the 1950s, my grandparents built a modest year round home in Avalon. A family business brought the sons and daughters (including spouses and young children) from Philadelphia to Avalon shortly thereafter.
After visiting the beautiful windswept coast of Northern Ireland, I can totally understand my grandfather’s love of the shore.
Sand in our shoes… and salt air in our lungs 😉
Slainte!
P.S. According to family legend, my grandfather arrived to the United States through Canada. And my grandmother used her older sister’s ID to travel from Ireland to the US. Her grown children didn’t know her real name/age until she applied for Social Security! It’s important and relevant to consider that our family’s immigration history may be softened by nostalgia.
Pictures from our 2008 trip to Northern Ireland.
I had some technology issues with this site, so took a break from actively posting.
Good to be back 🙂
Santa– the life size plywood cut out version- has been an important part of Christmas for as long as I can remember.
Santa began his life of service in the early 1960s at my parents’ first house in Avalon. He was surrounded by big, multi-colored bulbs on the newly planted shrubs. Inside that modest Golden Home rancher, 4 little girls hung their stockings on a cardboard fireplace with a plug in red bulb that magically turned the metal wheel to create “fire”!
In the 1970s, Santa moved with our family 5 blocks south in Avalon to a larger, 2 story home with a real wood fireplace. The colorful exterior lights were eventually replaced with more subtle white bulbs, but the spot light literally remained on Santa.
In the off season, Santa hung proudly on the garage wall- watching us all come and go. Those little girls grew up and moved out, bringing back grandchildren for days on the beach. In the 1980s, my young sons were fascinated by Santa, and maybe a bit intimidated based on our attempts to use him for improved behavior!
When my parents downsized to a townhouse in the early 1990s, my father asked if I wanted Santa for our home. Of course, I was thrilled- and Santa didn’t complain as he was forced to leave Avalon and move “off shore”.
Santa loyally followed us on each move- knowing that he would be given a prominent position (with a flood light) at Christmas. Years later, he gratefully moved back to the island to become a Stone Harbor resident!
Now coasting past his mid-50s, Santa was showing signs of wear (aren’t we all).
For several years, I thought about arranging a touch up, but it just didn’t feel right. Thankfully, our niece offered her artistic talents – a perfect fit!
So the newly refreshed Santa is back in his designated spot in front of our home- ready to face another 50+ years by the beach ????
2024 Update- We sold our Stone Harbor home, so Santa moved with us to Avalon while we wait for our new townhome to be built. Time marches on…and Santa tags along!
2025 Update- Santa has officially relocated to a local golf course!! We are all adapting to our new environment and view 🙂
Yes, we occasionally see snow on the beach!
Beach Tags
Reminder to purchase your seasonal beach tags by May 31st for the reduced rate.
Tags are $37 now; $42 as of June 1st . Avalon and Stone Harbor tags are reciprocal.