Sunday, December 11, 2011

2011 - December Snippets

Yet another jaw-dropping, December sunset in Eastham
There are lots of snowflakes hanging inside stores with songs about jolly old snowmen playing in the air, but our temperatures have been a long way from freezing, until just recently.  Guess what I want for the holidays?

DECEMBER DISCOVERIES:

Ron, in fancier days
The Vintage in Vogue store in Orleans has been right around the corner the whole time, but despite the many people who encouraged me to check it out, I never took the time until I had ulterior motives. 
I was looking for a place that would take on consignment Ron's formal wardrobe from his Victorian Society days in Northern Virginia, and I found that they accept clothing from the 1970's back.  Maureen was thrilled when I brought in a collection of tails, morning suits, top hats, accessories, and an opera cape.  They just seem a little over the top 
for greeting B&B guests.  Visiting this store feels like falling into a time warp.  Beady little eyes catch yours from fur stoles as you head towards the irresistible basket of church lady hats.  The store is positively packed
with wearable memorabilia at consignor prices and it's an entertaining place to poke around. 

Another fun discovery has been the Nauset Model Railroad Club, which took over the entire basement of a store in Orleans to set up an amazing display of train sets.  They've created every possible scenic scenario for several different gages of trains that whistle, blow steam, blink and chug.  They're open to the public every Saturday afternoon during December and it's almost as much fun to watch the people as the trains.  Click on the link to see a You Tube video of the display. 


The Chandler Travis Three-O
Our musical friend, Chan, is not exactly a new discovery, but he's been working hard on this year's holiday tunes for the Yule for Fuel fundraiser, and you never know what he's going to come up with.  Here's one of the new songs he's shared:  Santa I want a goat for christmasYule probably never feel the same way about caroling.


A WALK DOWNTOWN:

Eastham Town Hall
We're so fond of our windmill it has its own annual festival!
I decided to walk the one mile to Town Hall to pay our real estate tax bill this time, figuring if I got a little exercise, it would somehow make the experience of paying taxes less odious.  On one side of State Route 6 is the Superette, a Ma & Pa convenience grocery with great deli sandwiches to order, a blazing fireplace in the winter and a cashier who loves to tell jokes.  Across the street is the green with the oldest windmill on the Cape.  On the other side of Route 6 is the Town Hall, followed by the Fire & Police Stations, and that pretty much sums up downtown" Eastham. 



Crosswinds B&B 'goes Holiday'



The infamous Winter Solstice Tree
I'm wrapping up the December Snippets early because, let's face it, the last couple of weeks of December are pretty frantic for most people.  So, on the holiday of your choosing, I wish you simple comforts, good health and some of your favorite people with whom to share it.  And, ONLY if you like, some REAL snowflakes.





Sunday, November 27, 2011

2011- November Snippets

Fort Hill Foliage
In spite of the surprise Halloween Storm that buried much of New England in snow without power for days, we came out of it with only one broken outer windowpane in the Cottage and an A+ on the new generator's first practical test.  The temperatures immediately returned to the UN-seasonable 60's, where it has stayed most of the month, which pleased everyone except hardcore winter freaks like myself who like sipping hot apple cider by crackling fires and soaking the chill away in a hot tub.  Nevertheless, the flannel sheets are on in the B&B rooms and the porch has a ready supply of wood scraps for the fireplace.  The season is still young.
Where's the cranberry sauce?

Otherwise, it's been a "wild" Fall.  We've had wild turkeys waddling around in the yard, throwing caution to the wind about Thanksgiving.  A buck ran full speed down our street in broad daylight with no Elmer Fudd in sight.  A pack of howling coyotes has been on the hunt near our friend's house in North Eastham.  If anything portends the coming of cooler weather, it's when the cats proudly present a mouse that somehow got in.  Our cats are more intent on playing with than eating them, so I usually have to catch them myself and toss them on the lawn to take their chances with the hawks. The chase is kind of like a bad Tom and Jerry cartoon.  Meanwhile, the squirrel count has climbed to 118, and I suspect another chippy's on the loose.

So long, Newfie

On the domestic wildlife scene, which is not as much of an oxymoron as you might think, it is with sadness that I report the passing of Newfie, our black cat, who has been in declining health for quite some time.  He was one of the most lovable and sociable felines we've ever known and had a way of looking you right in the eyes and expressing such humble appreciation for any show of attention that it made you want to be a better human.  When he let us know it was time to escape, we were grateful to be able to provide it for him peacefully and humanely.  If only it were as easy for humans.

When Ron noticed an ad for a no-fee MSPCA adoption weekend, we decided to check it out to see if there might be a suitable companion for our manx, Bob, who has been growing tubby from inactivity.  We made promises not to bring home any cat that didn't steal both our hearts and remained resolute throughout both rooms until the last cage came into view.  An impossibly long, slinky-like, apricot, fluff ball who eagerly licked his approval of us had us hooked before you could say "Macaroni", the name volunteers had just given him.  "New Cat" had been brought in a few days prior and listed on their computer as "Stray Cat".  I thought we might just call him Mac, but after giving it further consideration, we decided on the more dignified, Thomas MacDaniels, and he is slowly learning that the "New Parents" call him Tommy.  
Thomas "Tommy-Can-You-Hear-Me" MacDaniels

You lookin' at ME?
Tom & Bob
Bob made it clear with their first encounter that besides being confused about Newfie's disappearance, he was also horrified and disgusted by this new, fluffy thing slinking around the house.  But, each day grew progressively better as Tommy relentlessly wore him down with fancy, airborne spins, engaging upside-down looks, 0-60 mph sprints that ended respectfully just short of Bob's backside and throaty hide and seek invitations.  Bob's curiosity finally got the better of him and by the end of a week they were engaging in tentative sparring and intense stare-downs.  At the end of two weeks, it was Bob who was initiating Goofy-time and it was clear that there was a new brother in town.  



So, what is there to do on Cape Cod in November?

Salt Marsh near Coast Guard Beach
There are a good many people who prefer to visit off-season who see the advantage of trading trinket shopping and beach weather for the tranquility of coastal towns without the mobs of tourists.  We've been the lucky recipients of visits from out-of-town friends twice this month, and even got a surprise, belated wedding gift.  

Need more entertainment than that?  Well...

Feeling cultural?  The W.H.A.T.'s Julie Harris Theatre has a ready supply of entertainment, from live cabaret to the Cape Symphony, a live feed for the Bolshoi Ballet, play readings and movies. 

Feeling festive?  November's all about the holidays and many towns have Seaside Holiday Activities, decoration contests, bazaars, illuminations and performances.  It's not unusual for Santa to arrive on a boat and feast on clam chowder after listening to gift requests.

Feeling altruistic?  Local musicians pitch in for the annual Yule for Fuel Musical Benefits, and there are many other fun opportunities to help the needy. 

History Buff?  Retrace the Mayflower passengers' first steps of exploration with a National Seashore Ranger.  Or, check out the Salt Pond Center exhibit about the local Wampanoag Indian tribes who greeted them.

Artsy-Time?  Watch the Sandwich Glass Museum create unique ornaments, or see the best of local craftsmen at various open galleries.

All Aboard:  Who doesn't like a model train exhibit at the Nauset Model Railroad Club's Open House?

And, please, don't forget about the annual Eastham Turnip Festival.  This year's winning turnip recipe and the winner of a $200 savings bond was Coconut Mustard Seed Turnip Curry.  Second prize, winning a $100 savings bond went to the Turnip Ice Cream recipe.  

November's also a busy month for thrift and consignment shops as they prepare to close for winter breaks and have clear-out sales.  It's truly guilt-free shopping for good causes. 

Another fine First Encounter Beach Sunset
Thanksgiving in Eastham:

To quote John Lennon, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."  And, that sums up our Thanksgiving this year.  After officially closing the B&B to reservations for the first time and making our own in Virginia to attend my aunt's 80th birthday, I spent the week here instead on antibiotics and sipping chicken soup and tea.  Disappointment aside in not being able to see family and participate in the celebration, I found quite enough about which to be sappily grateful.  For one, a husband who took it upon himself to make homemade chicken soup for me as close to the way my mom used to make it without her actually being here.  And, if I had to be 'stuck somewhere', I can't think of anywhere more comforting to be than curled up on my couch lazily watching the sun through the tall, dancing marsh grasses, surrounded by soft, purring cats as I drowsed.

On the subject of holidays and feeling grateful, an appropriate enough subject for November, I have this to say:  I'm surrounded by lots of great things that I enjoy, but none that I wouldn't trade for loving companionship and good health.  The holidays have long been taken over by advertisers who sell guilt at the expense of reason and value.  It seems to me there is such a better alternative.  Instead, be an elf, or an angel, or a mench (Yiddish for "a good person").  Trade stress, guilt and a mangled credit card for finding your own creative way to help someone who needs it more than you.  The gift will be yours.  My gift to myself this year is submitting a volunteer application to the Lower Cape Outreach Program.  And, that's another thing about November on the Cape, there's finally time to just think.   Healthy holidays to all! 
The bunny ears are an old cold remedy-try it.

Monday, October 31, 2011

2011 - October Snippets

OCTOBER SNIPPETS

It's been a banner October on the Cape for tourism with enough warm and chilly weather to please everyone at some point during the month.  The Vacancy signs went up briefly after Labor Day for the first time all summer, then disappeared again for the rest of the month.  The windows are open again, allowing the sounds of birds and wind chimes in and the fresh smell of ocean air.  It hasn't been a particularly colorful Fall, probably due to the salting we took during Hurricane Irene, but when the impossibly blue New England sky peeks through the bare branches, all is forgiven.


The birds definitely know what month it is, despite the return of some unseasonably warm days.  The hummingbirds, who faithfully frequented Ron's feeders all summer have moved to their southern estates without even a quick note in the guest books.  That leaves the blue jays, grackles and sparrows to duke it out at the feeders, when the squirrels and chipmunks leave them anything.  The Hav-A-Hart Trap Count has reached 114 squirrels and 53 Chippies.  Unfortunately, the neighborhood possums have decided to get into the act, too.  After trapping the same one 4 times (he limps from an injured rear left leg), we decided to escort him to a new neighborhood by a big pond.  Not to be outdone, the deer are making stealthy forays into the garden and knocking over all the critter traps.  Apparently, there is no one in the animal world who can resist peanut butter.  It's a real jungle out there!

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
The last scheduled Outdoor Sale of the season was held at the Orleans Community Exchange.  These were both a blessing and a curse for me, and at the very least, another learning curve about the world of treasure hunting and consignment.  When taking advantage of the every other weekend opportunity, they can easily double or triple monthly sales.  But, the treasure hunting is the fun part.  When one considers the hours it takes to tag, load, unload, display, repack and unload again at home, it deserves some consideration about how one defines treasure.  I'm still figuring out work-smarter techniques for next summer as we reclaim the garage space from treasures that are being returned, to be rediscovered by someone else.

Bob modeling a "treasure"

As no surprise to me, I came across another blogger's take on her visit to Cape Cod in our Chamber of Commerce monthly e-news.  I know what sites I enjoy seeing, but it's always fun to see the same places through other eyes.  Here's her link, if you're interested:


October Color

It's hard to believe, but there were actually little white flakes mixed with raindrops on the last weekend forecast of the month.  I took it with a grain of salt when our fisherman friend predicted a hard winter, but maybe he's on to something.  We only had one more reservation on the books for the season for this messy weekend and it wouldn't have surprised me if they had reconsidered, but like seasoned New Hampshire ladies, they were not to be kept from their long-awaited weekend getaway by a little old Nor'easter. As it turned out, they traded 11" of snow and no power in NH for an exciting day and night of 70 mph wind-driven rain on the Cape, and felt pretty smug about it.  Since we had nobody else on the books, we urged them to stay another night (on us) and enjoy a day of sunshine before they returned.  It didn't take them long to see the wisdom in that plan and we made 2 new friends.

Salt Pond Family

With 2 summer seasons under our belts, there is one observation about B&B guests that I can say for certain.  They are all unique.  Some are rarely here as they try to see how much ground they can cover with their explorations.  Others use their room as their whole vacation, reading in the tree swing and strolling on the nearby walking trails.  Some take full advantage of the kitchenettes and gas grills, while others hit a different restaurant every day.  The chirping of a cricket and the gentle, nearby whoosh of traffic may be soothing to some, but others crave total silence.  We have Boston Metro people for weekend getaways and world travelers who include us on months-long holidays.  This month we had guests from as far away as Russia and Germany.  I thought I was really ready for a break, but it didn't take long to miss the steady stream of interesting people who show up.  So, now it's time to shift gears to winter projects that have had to wait and look forward to the surprise travelers who march to a different drum beat and find their way to us when we least expect it.  

Stuffed Lobster Treat a la Ray


Saturday, October 1, 2011

2011 - September Snippets

September Snippets


The morning after Labor Day, I watched a fleet of yellow school buses zip by, but by the next weekend tourism was alive and well again.  The weather did the usual fake-out, turning chilly enough to drag out the winter comforters for the B&B beds and then turning into sultry summer again, necessitating a change back to the light spreads.  The bookings were so plentiful, we began to wonder if we were going to get a season to rest, but don't misinterpret that as a complaint.  With the economy leaving so many people in dire straights, we are happy to be the busy ants in demand with a means for saving for the hard winters to come.  Since moving here, I've learned how difficult government restrictions have made it for our local fishermen to earn their livings, which is one of our major sources of income.  We don't take any good fortune for granted.  


Our little town of Eastham is known for three things:  nationally recognized beaches, speeding tickets and the oldest windmill on the Cape.  This year we decided to answer the call for volunteers for the annual Windmill Weekend Festival and spent a gorgeous day on the town green ladling chowder and selling raffle tickets.  Our own tickets didn't win anything, but we had a birds-eye view of all the activities and somehow ended up on next year's Publicity Committee.  If you're not careful in a small town, you're likely to end up in charge of something.


A visit from our son, Doug, was the cherry on our September Sundae.  He flew up to see the play Ron was in and liked the wordplay so much we went twice.  While he was here, he did the usual solving of technical issues and questions that we couldn't figure out, and even seemed to like it.  For a surprise, we had a toilet and sink installed in the basement "Man Cave Quarters" where he stays if the B&B's are full.  For those of you who have also stayed "down-under", you'll be happy to know there will be no more long trips up the stairs in the middle of the night.


My surprise compost-pumpkin garden yielded 10 little cuties, which are displayed proudly.  After worrying that there wasn't enough sun in the garden, I also got a late bumper crop of tomatoes, which will be making appearances later in our favorite marinara recipe.   No thanks to the critters, who find us irresistible, no matter how many we trap and relocate.  The squirrel count is now over 100, and the chipmunks now number 50.  The "Rescue Garden" has been expanding nicely, although I've spent as much time rearranging it as I have planting new adoptees, as I keep changing the dynamics by what I find on the discount tables. 

As our Red Sox were adding player after player to the injury list and tanking for the season, Patriot football filled in with a fresh new start.  Ron was coerced into joining a friend's Fantasy Football League this year, which makes knowing whom to cheer for a real challenge sometimes.  But, if there is any confusion about loyalties, it is quickly distracted by an increasingly decadent array of snack food that sends everyone home sated and happy, no matter who wins. 




Although we operate our B&B with accepted standards of professionalism, we couldn't do it without heart, too.  We trust that good karma always serves both parties well.  As an example, I took a rare cancellation last night from a woman who was coming from St. Louis to visit her mother in a nursing home near Boston.  She was so looking forward to spending a relaxing weekend at the Cape, but due to her mother's declining health, she was forced to change her plans.  Hearing her disappointment, I told her we would give her a full refund and hope she might be able to rebook another time.  No sooner than I clicked the Refund button on Paypal did I get an email request for a 4 night booking, including the nights that had been cancelled.  And, with that tidbit, September comes to an end.



Wednesday, September 7, 2011

June - August 2011 - Greetings & Welcome - the Cape Cod Snippets Continue


Greetings and welcome!


Ron & Andrea
This blog is a continuation of The Cape Cod Monthly Chronicles and the Cape Cod Quarterly Snippets, all of which chronicle my move to Cape Cod in December of 2009 and continues to describe the making of a new life here, part of which is operating a B&B.    Presumably, if you're tuning in to this new location, you're already a "follower-by- request" of this journey, but as I get used to the new format, I'll transfer the Chronicles and Snippets for anyone new, or for whomever might want to catch up.  For new readers, my immediate family consists of myself, (former "elementary school secretary  - home health care franchise co-owner - child care provider coordinator - banker"), my husband, Ron,  ("carpenter - actor -  musician - former ship fitter - roughneck - jack-of-all-trades"), an 11 year old black cat named Newfie and a 10 year old gold and white Manx cat named Bob.
Newfie
Bob

The creation of the Cape Cod Chronicles & Snippets came about as a means of keeping in touch with a lifetime of friends and family when I moved 500 miles away.  It seemed like a sudden decision to some, but was actually a very real dream that I had nurtured for 38 years since falling in love with New England and having to return to Virginia for practical reasons.  It was a convenient way to let people know how it was going, a means to indulge a passion for writing and a chance to encourage people to keep their dreams alive.   Surprisingly to me, many readers found them interesting enough to get hooked on the story, so as long as I have one that feels worthy of telling, I see a blog as a means to afford the choice of continuing to tune in or to move on to a newer and shinier tale.

I welcome comments and questions.





And now, the continuation of the Quarterly Cape Cod Snippets:




Nauset Light Beach


CAPE SUMMER SNIPPETS  -  June through August, 2011





JUNE:

Dear Readers:  I’ve received a few comments over the last year that my writing always seems so "UPBEAT!".  One of my friends even asked me if people on Cape Cod ever fart because I always make it sound so idyllic.  First of all, this is not a forum for aches and pains and is very light on politics or religion.  But, I thought I’d begin the summer’s Snippets with some real Cape Cod dirt, "The Pet Peeves":

June’s Pet Peeves:
With Memorial Day weekend, every crazy out-of-state driver shows up to fill all the grocery store parking places, drive 15 mph under the speed limit on the Mid-Cape highway, bring roadside litter to a new level, and turn the rotaries into a terrifying car ballet.  The local tick count explodes and the temperatures soar, which means installation of noisy and inefficient window air conditioners for people like us who moved up here to get away from heat and humidity.  And, although Massachusetts has received kudos for its State supported health insurance, finding specialists on the Cape who will take patients who are insured by it is a challenge, thus our 2nd trip into Boston this month and more to come.  If you think out-of-towners on the rotary are bad, don’t try Boston traffic.  How am I doing on the dark side?

The truth is, even the worst day in Eastham is still better for us than anywhere else.  And yes, people definitely fart on Cape Cod.  Now that I have that unpleasantness aside, I’d like to take a survey of something that has been on my mind since we opened the B&B.  When you put fresh sheets on the bed, do you put the top sheet pattern-side down, or up?  Please help settle a domestic dispute.  Don’t be lazy, if someone else makes the bed or you never noticed, ask them, or go look for yourself.  I’ll wait…

Whalebone jaw entrance 





Sometimes a little vacation is literally just around the corner.  After meaning to take the Captain Penniman House Tour since we moved here, and walking by it dozens of times, Ron finally called for a reservation and Park Ranger George took us on a fascinating trip through life in our neighborhood in the 1800’s.  Mrs. Penniman was the talk of the town, daring to wear pants instead of long dresses and going on many whaling trips with her husband.  I do like her style.   





The Great Raccoon Rescue:  well true, we wouldn’t have had to rescue him if he hadn’t gotten caught in our Hav-A-Heart squirrel trap, but the poor little guy had his arm twisted through one of the holes and it got swollen.  Such sad eyes pleading for help.  When manipulating it didn’t help, and an ice cube induced painful growls, I got an eyedropper and some canola oil and greased the way for him to free himself.  I dare say he didn’t think much of our hospitality.  And, with the arrival of summer a fresh crop of chipmunks and squirrels have wiped away any smugness I may have once felt about my trapping prowess.   

Last Spring, I noticed many handmade signs posted along the roads congratulating individual high school graduates.  This Spring, I see that it’s a Cape Cod town tradition and the variety of these artistic expressions run the gamut from tiny hand-painted sentiments on scrap wood nailed to a tree, to professionally printed hanging banners.  Personal expression is alive and well in small towns, including the ragtag group of war protestors who still gather peacefully in front of the town green every weekend with their signs.  If you have an opinion, it’s a speak-your-mind, town meeting kind of place.

The most exciting June news here is that after a 20-year hiatus, Ron is returning to acting at the W.H.A.T. (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre), where he starred in a number of productions when he lived on the Cape, B.A.  (before Andrea).  W.H.A.T. now has 2 theatres, but the edgier, “mature humor” is reserved for the original Harbor Stage.  The director, knowing that Ron had returned contacted him with a part “just right for him” in a play called ‘The Betrothed’ about arranged marriage.  His role is a smarty-pants old man with a potty-mouth.  I can’t imagine why they thought of Ron…The production will run the month of August. 

JULY:
First Encounter Beach in Eastham

July‘s Pet Peeve: 

People who look at the brochures we provide of the Cape area and throw them in the trash instead of replacing them on the shelf for the next guest.

We missed the 4th of July fireworks this year waiting for a late B&B guest, but were treated to an email video of the Flash Mob Spirit Band that took over our Orleans Stop & Shop playing a rousing Sousa March for the stunned shoppers.   I so wish I’d been there.  Their next stop is South Africa. 

If you ever feel the need to be pampered, consider how many wonderful appliances you have that make life so much easier, and then do without one for a couple of months.   Our dishwasher suddenly stopped working and weeks later, after much pondering, tinkering and a few pairs of rubber gloves and bottles of dish detergent, it took a professional to determine that the switch under the sink that doesn’t do anything, actually does.  It must have gotten turned off on one of my forays down-under to find something.  Suddenly, I’m feeling very pampered.

If there were a “Cape Flower” it would surely be the Hydrangea, the bushes that make blue snowball-like blooms.  Only now there are hybrids in every color and shape, and they line fences, rock walls and weathered cedar-shingled homes along winding roads in every town.  I’m pretty sure they’re not mandatory, but one planting does tend to lead to another, and another. 

For about 35 years I’ve enjoyed capturing moments through photography and                                 for the very first time (not counting my son, Doug’s first website called Sherlock’s Photos), I will have my own exhibit next month at a popular hot spot in Orleans called The Hot Chocolate Sparrow.  This came about matter-of-factly when Ron took me for a hot chocolate the snowy winter we moved in.  It’s a wonderful place to meet for coffee or sandwiches, to use their Wi-Fi, buy a funny card, view the art gallery or check out the bulletin boards.  The source of the name is Marjorie Sparrow, who owns the place and her incredible gourmet chocolate candy counter.   As I gazed at the local artwork hanging on the wall while I sipped my chocolate, I idly wondered how one gets to exhibit, and having no filter on my ceaseless questions, I asked Marj before we left.  She took my email & 1 ½ years later, I got a request to do a showing.  My printer took that opportunity to break, and the replacement we bought was worse, but 3 printers later, I’m in full production printing some of my newer Cape photos.

Our blueberry bush presented us with a July gift of luscious berries and I’m learning the delicate art of picking the ripe ones without knocking the little green ones off the stems.  We were too busy getting used to the B&B routine last summer to take advantage of them, blaming critters and guests for not having any.  I seized the opportunity this year to fill up a big bowl, and was glad I did when I saw our current B&B guest raiding it today on her way back from her conference.  I’ve since planted 2 more ½- price bushes in my new flower garden, where all I’ll have to compete with are 4-legged and winged creatures.  Speaking of which, we got a phone call from our friend Ray, who urged us to look out our back window.  We did just in time to see a big buck jump the back yard fence & head past Ray’s truck to the woods in Fort Hill.  I wonder if deer like blueberries.

First Encounter Beach sunset
Our ‘vacation’ this month was to explore and compare the beaches in our town, Eastham.  We’ve always gone to First Encounter because it was the closest, but on the bay side alone, we visited Herring Brook Landing, Kingsbury, Thumpertown, Campground, Cooks Brook and Sunken Meadow Beaches.  Lo and behold, we found that our own First Encounter was the best of all, since the beaches get narrower as they approach Wellfleet just north of us. 
As the country south and west of us swelter in record temps, we are able to turn our air conditioners off from time to time this summer and open the windows for fresh, dry air and to smell the ocean.  Last summer was the hottest on record, but this is the weather we signed up for when we moved from Virginia, and it's a blessing we don't take for granted.  

An observation:  you can identify an out-of-towner on vacation (if you don’t see the license plate first) by noticing the behavior exhibited as they are trying to pull onto the main road.  Visitors are hunched over the steering wheel, knuckles gleaming white and head snapping back and forth as if they were watching a ferociously close tennis match.  The locals have their heads resting on the neck rests, radio on, elbow propped on the window with a dreamy look in their eyes, waiting for the inevitable break in traffic that they know will eventually come.

It seems that some of my greatest successes in the garden this year are from benign neglect and what grew on their own from the soil I used from my compost pile.  I always wanted to grow pumpkins and now I have them with some bonus tomato plants in the middle of my flower garden.   I'm hoping to start a real pumpkin patch in the front yard by burying these spent pumpkins and ignoring them.  Why not?


AUGUST:
View from Fort Hill

August Pet Peeve:  B&B guests who pack every extra edible item from the ample choices we provide instead of just enjoying what they want while they're here.  

Photo exhibit at The Chocolate Sparrow
Ron helped me hang my photo exhibit in front of a large party of onlookers, who had gathered at the Chocolate Sparrow for an annual summer get-together.   It was exhilarating to hear their comments about each photo as it went up on the wall, some discussing their favorites.  One woman purchased one taken at the Eastham 4th of July parade before anybody else claimed it.  Another one told me I should raise my prices.   It was a great venue with lots of positive feedback, including the sale of 7 framed photos for the month, and it has given me the encouragement I needed to seek out other opportunities.  Photographers abound on the Cape and the waiting lists are long, but I’m on the calendar for next September for the lobby in my bank and have leads on a few others.  There could also be a new website in my future.  

Opening night for Ron’s play, The Betrothed, went well and everyone seemed relieved to get beyond rehearsals and tuck the first performance under their belts.  I’m looking forward to seeing it again later in the month and noting the differences from opening night.  The play’s description reads as follows:

As Simon's flight descends over the Old Country his mind swirls between his home in Pittsburgh and the beautiful woman he imagines waiting for him among the cow patties. Betrothed from birth, he has waited thirty long years to meet his beloved. Upon arrival, his fantasies of finding the perfect wife spar against old crones, morally ambiguous clergymen, deceitful babies, and barnyard animals. Here, Simon must navigate a world where murder, ghostly possession, and rampant cuckoldry are everyday realities and 'meeting your match' takes on an entirely different meaning. The Betrothed is a comedy that exists between desire and death, dream and reality, life and the afterlife. It is a play with music.
Ron playing Solomon on the left

Our apple, peach & pear trees are heavy with fruit, but much of it is out of reach, even with our ladder.  Until a taller one comes along, most goes to the critters, although the refrigerator is full and I barely have time to process what I pick now.   Speaking of critters, with 2 hummingbird feeders (front & back), Ron has added making fresh hummer food to his weekly chores.  They are totally comfortable with us and chase each other around like Jedi warriors.

The Hav-A-Hart Trapped Critter Count is now up to 91 squirrels, 47 chipmunks, 4 possums, 2 raccoons, 3 skunks, 1 bunny & too many birds & mice to count. 

My License Plate Game this summer yielded all but 7 states and for the 1st time ever, Nova Scotia & Nuevo Leon, Mexico.  But it occurred to me that a lot of these plates are  rental cars and not actually where the people driving them come from, so I’ll have to find another way to amuse myself on the road next summer.

I spoke too soon about the dishwasher.  Another professional visit declared it the victim of a power surge, and once again, the yellow, rubber gloves are making a fashion statement comeback while we replace it.    

Hurricane Irene approaching Fort Hill
With Hurricane Irene barreling up the Coast, we decided that a generator to ensure that our B&B guests are not without water during a power outage is a legitimate business expense.   Unfortunately, it wasn’t installed until Irene had come and gone, leaving us without power and water for 3 days and paying guests for about a week, but we begrudgingly thank her for nudging us into action.  August has been an incredibly busy month, and the few days break from guests who were waylaid by the storm, and the Sunday cancellation of Ron’s show, because of no power are the closest things to a vacation we’ve had this month, although lack of creature comforts and cleanliness can hardly be considered a good time. But, the roads were temporarily peaceful again as the whoosh of traffic was replaced by the sound of Irene’s winds as she backhanded the Cape.  As each day passed, our moods fluctuated between helpless anger and hope that the power would be restored so we could have the luxury of washing hands, flushing toilets and showers.  We took turns reminding each other of the people in Haiti who still live in tents with no plumbing 2 years after their big earthquake.  It was sobering.  The new dishwasher has been installed, but the pampering quotient has been totally eclipsed by clean running water, light where you need it and the internet so many of us have become so dependent on to conduct business and connect to information and people.  If I had to choose, the yellow rubber gloves would become a permanent fashion statement.

Guests this summer came from as far away as the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada & Korea.  September is about half-booked, a change from last year’s abrupt ending to our first season at Labor Day, and we are even taking a few October reservations, too.  The biggest difference between our first and second summer here is feeling more connected to the community and going from the new business in town to a sought out commodity world-wide.   We’re still learning, working smarter, and loving the journey.

Happy 50th Anniversary to Cape Cod Nat’l Seashore,
the 10th most visited National Park in the U.S.! 



To be continued in September...