Massachusetts coast in February

And the story of an adult friendship

I recently visited Rowley, Massachusetts, to stay with my good friend, novelist Holly Robinson, for a personal writing retreat in her charming coral-and-ivory 1799 Colonial home.

Founded in 1639, Rowley is a village near Newburyport, MA, with a quiet square and scenic views of the nearby River. Originally colonized as a plantation by Reverend Ezekial Rogers, Rowley’s original houses were built in the 17th century, along with tanneries and grain mills. 

Holly’s house is gorgeous in any season.

Today, most people are drawn to the village for the Sunday flea market and antique shops as they’re driving scenic Route 1A south of Maine or north of Boston. For modern residents, the draw is obvious: the town has a train station linking it directly to Boston for commuters, and those who live here can kayak or go clamming along the Rowley River, or even take a motorboat out to their houseboats, which many residents use like summer houses in Plum Island Basin. 

This was the first time I'd been to Mas…