2012 - December - All Mused Out for 2012

Even Jaws gets into the holiday celebrations. 

December has brought occasional frost and some early morning ice in the bird baths, but mostly very Spring-like weather. The feeders are stocked with suet for the winter we keep expecting to come.  Most of the leaves are down and many have simply blown away with the Nor'easter, but they always seem to be replaced by more blowing in from somewhere else.  The winds are back making the new window screens sing eerie tunes.  Buildings sport a variety of fancy decorations.   Benefits for the needy abound with every possible incentive to attend and spend.  Take your choice of music, food, dance, raffles, silent auctions, or just put food or clothing in boxes which are everywhere.  We chose to attend the annual Christmas Cavalcade, organized by our friend, Chandler, who brings together many other talented Cape musicians for a very enjoyable holiday show.  This year, Siobhan Magnus of American Idol fame joined the lineup.  We also spent an evening volunteering at the St. Wenceslas Faire which benefits the Lower Cape Outreach Center.  Either way, working or being entertained, it's all good stuff.

Salt Pond floating Xmas Tree

But, December's greatest significance to us is that it marks our 3rd anniversary of moving here and opening the B&B.  As I think back to that experience, I hope I never have to face a challenge that immense again, even though it was totally worth it.  I used to work with a teacher, who with her husband bicycled from Oregon to Virginia over her summer break.  Once home, whenever times would get tough her mantra was "if I can bike through Kansas, where you pedal all day and the scenery never changes, I can do anything!"  Moving here was our 'Kansas' and we'd do it all over again if we had to.  
[Newer readers can read about that trip at the following links:  North to Eastham and North to Eastham - Part 2.]  As I drive through our little towns, I still remember the feeling of hardly knowing anyone, or knowing where anything was, or how to get anywhere.  I now take pleasure in navigating the scenic shortcuts I've learned and having surprise encounters with new friends as I go about my errands.  It's a wonderful gift to truly feel that you're finally home. The B&B has become an established landmark and welcomes people from all over the globe.  Just as I looked forward to my summer break from my public school job, I now welcome the winter break from summer tourism to kick back to a slower pace, although we're never closed.  This month's guests are traveling from CT, MA & VT.   

Lights on the Eastham Green

Every December, my town of Eastham's Chamber of Commerce puts on an annual Holiday Festival & Toy Drive.  There's always a visit from Santa and goodies to eat, face painting, raffles and trolley rides, balloon twisting, glitter tattoos, pony rides, a craft table, a kids gymnastics demo, pizza and it's ALL FREE, courtesy of donations that make it happen.  This year we had 300 happy kids attending.

The town of Provincetown at the tip of the Cape kicked off the holiday season with an annual event called Lighting the Lobster Pot Tree, sponsored by the family who owns the Lobster Pot Restaurant.  This year the project has grown to cover an entire square and is assembled from 112 lobster pots, 120 giant red bows, 58 buoys and 46 plastic lobsters.  3400 lights and a crane that lowered the top "crown" completed the project.   They really do know how to do festive in P'town!  

Snow's Department Store's annual Train Town display

The hardiest residents in the town of Brewster are planning a Polar Plunge to raise money for needy Cape families during the holiday.  Gee, too bad we don't live in that town...

Main Street, Orleans

The town of Chatham, celebrating its 300th birthday this year has an annual Christmas Stroll with a parade, tree lighting and horse and carriage rides with costumed characters.

Cap'n Ron & Crosswinds

I don't know about you, but when Daylight Savings Time ends, I look for any way to illuminate all that darkness.  Out come the single window candles.  I've become a convert to the cordless ones that turn themselves on and off.  Then the seashell light strands drape the back fence where we park.  Not long after that, back by popular demand, lights go up on the sailboat in the front yard, to the delight of passersby.  It's also time for the little tree that serves as a beacon to mark our front entrance all year to have its tiny white lights refreshed.  One tree leads to another and before you know it, we have many new reasons to be grateful for our new solar panels.  As a winter season lover, light is my celebration.  All that's missing now is snow. 

with assistance from Sean

While musing about the holidays, I always have a little touch of guilt.  (No, not gilt, nor gelt.)  This year I'm coming clean and confessing my past bad karma.  You see, I grew up in a Chanukah home amidst a mostly Santa town who took Jesus's birthday very seriously.  That was in the 50's-60's when it was perfectly correct and expected to celebrate Christmas in school.  Most people had barely heard of Chanukah, much less knew how to pronounce it without spitting.  I was always looked at in disbelief and pity when I had to admit that I never had a Christmas tree nor sat on Santa's lap.  I really didn't understand why Santa couldn't stop at our house, but one year I became determined to at least see him and the reindeer go by.  If he was as jolly as was reported, maybe I could tell my friends that he waved to me on the way to their houses.  On Christmas Eve I was beside myself with excitement about my plan and stayed alert for the sound of jingle bells and kept hopping out of bed to peek out the window long after I'd been tucked in.  My mother, noting that I was still awake longer than usual came in to see what was wrong.  I blurted out the hope that had me quivering with excitement and a troubled look came over her face.  She sat down, drew me onto her lap and encased me in one of those hugs that ended with a big sigh, the one when you knew you weren't going to like what came next.  Then she said in her most conspiratorial tone, "if I tell you a secret, will you promise me that you won't tell any of your friends?"  Now, it's really not so fair to ask that of a six year old who doesn't even know what the secret she's agreeing to is, but not having the opportunity to hear secrets very often, of course I said yes.  It was then that I was crushed to learn that Santa was (shhhh...) only every child's Mom and Dad.  O-M-G, say it isn't so!!  I held out as long as I could, probably less than 24 hours, but in the end spilled the beans.  Martha-Jane was convinced I was wrong because she knew her single mother couldn't possibly afford to buy her any toys.  But, Betty-Lou, after an indignant "Nuh-UHHH!" was pretty miffed at me.  It all blew over and I know they would have found out eventually, but I've always regretted that indiscretion.  You can bet that when Spring came around and I was resentfully eating my matzoh meal birthday cake, there was absolutely no mention of the Easter Bunny to my friends.  

1989-Doug & Dad's tree

And, Chanukah with Cousins

When my son, who celebrated both Dad's Christmas and Mom's Chanukah brought up the subject, I thought about that incident and told him that Santa was magic and you only needed to believe in his spirit to make him real in your heart.  Analytical even at that early age, I knew he wasn't buying that logic, but that he still wanted to believe in something special.  That was the best I could do.  Now, as a self-admitted holiday-curmudgeon, I'm finally at peace adopting the Winter Solstice as my official holiday with lights, a gift or two, warm, crackly fires, delicious foods and an always open door for friends and family.  If that sounds similar at all to your chosen holiday, too, it's because it's reminiscent of the pre-Christian Roman Saturnalia from which so many of holiday traditions were adopted.  The important thing is to create a holiday that has meaning for you and not to be a slave to traditions that don't.  Be open to embracing something new and allow your own magic to happen!                                                                     

Equal Opportunity Lights

Thanks to my sister, nieces and "that guy" for sharing Chanukah with us this year and giving me a good excuse to dig out our Mom's menorah, serve latkes (potato pancakes), buy funny animal hats for everyone and get Ron to recite the Chanukah blessing in Hebrew, or whatever that language was that he was trying to repeat as I whispered in his ear.  To his credit, he didn't spit once.

Let there be lights!

Coincidentally, the Winter Solstice this year falls on the same day the Mayans predicted would be the end of the world, so, Friday the 21st will be a big day for us one way or another.  

Happy holidays to all.

  

2012 - November Thankful Musings

Post-Sandy calm in Chatham

Although the roses are still blooming, the walk to the mailbox is ankle-deep in crunchy leaves and the air finally has a chill.   Snow's department store has the first of the model trains set up and running for the upcoming holidays.  The rules for the Turnip Festival Cook-off have been posted.  Turkeys are a prominent decorating theme.  It's November on Cape Cod.  

Brewster color

As many communities begin the long process of trying to restore order after Superstorm Sandy, I was recently reminded of how critical one's attitude is towards dealing with adversity.  I don't often share guest's details, but I think Claire's point of view is worth relating.  The weekend prior to Superstorm Sandy, she had a prior reservation with us to celebrate her birthday on the Cape.  Though the storm wasn't due for a couple more days, broad bands of gloom and doom were already overspreading the area.  No sooner than our guests had checked in and driven into town to explore and stock up on weekend supplies, they dislodged their muffler on a curb and had to be towed back to the B&B.    We told them about the local bus system and how to walk up the street to the start of the national seashore at Fort Hill, and were even able to hook them up with our fisherman friend to get some luscious, large lobsters for their dinner.  While "the boys" went to get the lobsters, it quickly became apparent from chatting with Claire that it takes more than a little change of plans to rattle her.  I learned that as a journalist, she had previously worked in Asia, and most recently lived in Syria before the country's unrest became too dangerous to continue there.  So, being stuck on Cape Cod with a broken car in the path of a hurricane, in her mind translated to being nestled in a cozy cottage eating lobster within walking distance of the seashore.  Or, in short, as my grandfather used to say, "it could always be worse."  My heart goes out to all the people displaced by Sandy and I wish them all, at the very least, the ability to feel that sentiment deeply because I know Claire and my grandfather were right about that one.

Eastham's fancy decoration

With the elections finally over, I find myself musing about something and it's nothing as mundane as the electoral college or whether the Obama girls should get a second dog.  I've always found the ability to laugh at oneself a helpful quality, and going one step further, to share in the humor about my candidate(s) of choice.  With all the vitriol that campaigning has become, I welcome whatever levity comes my way.  The media has been rich with political humor, some of which I forwarded to friends if it tickled my funnybone.  It occurs to me that I didn't see any cleverly amusing emails about any Democrats.  John Stewart, one of the biggest liberals on t.v. took plenty of pokes at Obama when the opportunity presented itself.  So why, I wonder, did I not receive any humorous emails poking fun at the Democrats?  Perhaps the take-away from my musings could be that humor has the potential to be more effective than malicious mudslinging. Regardless, the high point of the election for us, other than the outcome, was meeting our Democratic candidate for Senate at a campaign rally we attended on a whim.  In fact, we were standing next to and met her entire family.  It was a real Tip O'Neal moment.  (For those not familiar:  "Politics begins at home".)  

The incredible Elizabeth Warren

Speaking of humor, Eastham-sters have it when it comes to our claim to fame, the best turnips ever.  This year's theme for the annual Turnip Festival is "Turnips, Eastham's Buried Treasure".  This year's contests include turnip shucking, a Mr. Turnip Head decorating station and a trivia contest called "Are you Smarter than an Eastham Turnip?"  The cooking contest will be judged by a state senator, the director of the Chamber of Commerce and a local restaurant owner.  The festival wouldn't be complete without an elementary school turnip art exhibit, some turnip history and folktales, a juggler (probably turnips) and the "Blessing of the Turnips".    

On the subject of our Thanksgiving on the Cape, I know that Norman Rockwell-like pictures of groaning tables and bowed heads come to mind, but the reality is quite different with us.  The B&B is open for business for other non-traditionalists who wish to design their own holidays.  This year's holiday escapees are from Boston.  The closest thing to a turkey dinner we'll see are the ones we helped to give out for the Lower Cape Outreach Council.  This year, we're in the mood for either Thai food or the new Mexican restaurant that just opened, with a homemade pumpkin pie for dessert.  As for a real Thanksgiving, we really do celebrate that every day just by acknowledging how extremely grateful we are to be here.  Wishing all my readers a holiday that tickles your heart and makes you glad to be alive. 

A Pleasant Bay day

2012 - Special Sandy Edition

We've received a number of phone calls and emails checking to see if Hurricane Sandy blew our little town off the map or floated us out to sea.  Just a quick note to report that the Cape is tougher than it looks, but also very lucky.  Although the Upper Cape lost power briefly in some places and the ocean frontage took a beating, Eastham had what amounted to just another good Nor'easter as the winds reached 80 mph and the rain sprinkled.  We wisely took proper precautions, but other than peace of mind, they proved unnecessary.  We were definitely aware of her force though and on the morning after could hear the ocean roaring from our yard, a half mile away.  Many of the leaves, which had been so reluctant to turn colors before the storm, now found themselves on the ground and ready for raking.  

A few before and after pictures of Fort Hill, Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach:

 http://youtu.be/sRGg4La8nSo

2012 - October Musings

This way to Fort Hill in living color

After an intense season of withering heat, frenetic traffic and new guests every few days, October is the gift of the season.  Cape Cod businesses have reported that in the last few years, business continues to increase and October now represents approximately 30% of annual sales.  We don't have to do the math to know that while the middle of some weeks have quieted, guests are still taking advantage of the mild weather and weekend fall activities, like Wellfleet's annual Oysterfest, and have continued to flock here from the UK, Belgium, Germany, British Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Texas, Vermont and Connecticut.

Chatham colors

Autumn hues seemed to be slower making their debut this year and almost reluctantly bowed to the calendar to sprinkle Fall colors around before all the leaves fall.  There's persistent talk of a cold winter coming our way, not to mention Hurricane Sandy, but so far both remain to be seen.

Brewster spirit

Our sad news is that the Red Sox finished dead last this season.  Of course, that means there's nowhere to go next year but up.  The good news is that October 18th has become our "Green Independence Day".  Crosswinds B&B is now solar-powered and connected to the national grid.  There's even a website provided to monitor how much power we're producing at any given time and the related statistics.  We are disproving Kermit the Frog's lament that "it's not easy to be green", but hope that Mitt Romney doesn't get the chance to add him to the unemployment list by doing away with PBS.  Please vote Obama and save Kermit & Big Bird's jobs!  (I bet you thought that our good news was going to be that the Patriot's are currently in first place standing in our division.)

Knowledge AND sun is power!

Since sharks are becoming more a part of our reputation, the general consensus is that you might as well have a sense of humor and make a buck off of the unwelcome intruders.  The latest evidence of this was a bumper sticker I saw this month, which used to read:  "Chatham: a quaint drinking village with a fishing problem."  The newer version reads:  "Chatham:  a quaint shark village with a seal problem."  I also heard one of our local WCAI announcers call in to the local fishing show to relate his valiant struggle to reel in the big one, only to end up with just a fish head after a sand shark hijacked his catch.  Meanwhile, sharks continue to be tagged and studied and are becoming just another Cape Cod icon.

Eastham domestic couch sharks

With our son trading life in Kabul with taking up temporary residence with us, we're benefitting from the entertainment value of the strange, nocturnal habits of the single, 20-something male.  For instance, we were invited to our first fire spinning demonstration by him and some friends.  The beach is the perfect place for this activity and was another opportunity to photograph something one doesn't see very often.  It was also interesting meeting his friends for the first time on a pitch black night having only voices to distinguish one from another.  And, have I mentioned that a pinball machine now resides in the basement?  Whoever said that getting old is not fun is perhaps not doing it right.

Boys playing with fire

Remember to VOTE, no matter who your preference is!

The merchants of Chatham provide the big finish with their month-long competition for the best pumpkin display.

  

Click to see slideshow:  http://youtu.be/sTmWGeGtRP8

2012 - September Musings

Together, again!

I must have once said that I like surprises because our boys, Doug and Sean take great pleasure in producing them for me whenever they can.  As if Sean's surprise appearance after three years in Afghanistan wasn't exciting enough, he somehow talked Doug into coming back from Virginia for another visit and offered him up like a prize after dinner one night.  Once again I stood staring, mouth open, speechless and totally delighted with their delicious deception and their pride in pulling it off.  Labor Day weekend suddenly became much more than just the last hurrah of summer and the house resonated with happy noises.

Just act naturally, boys...

Our Red Sox have had a pretty tough year and considering their pitiful showing this summer, it's not as difficult to switch gears to football and dig out our Patriots apparel.  I even hear there are seats available at Fenway for a change.  But now that the seasoned officials are out of the act and everyone is groaning about the unprofessional calls of the substitutes, I must say football is off to an odd start.  I heard last night's game described on the radio today as "the perfect storm of utter incompetence."   I'm still trying to learn the rules and this isn't helping.   

Who said there's no kids in Eastham?

For 35 years, Eastham has held its annual 3-day Windmill Weekend festivities and we chose to volunteer again at the raffle booth while enjoying some of the activities.  Despite some rough surf from Hurricane Leslie, Saturday morning was sunny and gorgeous for the sand castle competition and we stayed as long as we could before hurrying back to greet a B&B guest.  We were rooting for the all-kids group who paid tribute to the now infamous Cape Cod Bear who visited earlier this year.  After fashioning a very fat bear lying on its tummy with time to spare, they decided to add a mermaid lying underneath the bear.  Their cooperative enthusiasm and creativity got my vote, but the woman with the terrapin race and big starfish took 1st.  Oh well, kids, just like the Red Sox there's always next year. 

Sand Competition at First Encounter Beach

In the afternoon we claimed a spot on the town green to listen to our friends in the Chandler Travis Three-O on the bandstand while watching Leslie's cloud show above and enjoying the pungent smells of grilled meat, onions and pickle relish.  

Ever wonder what the inside of a windmill looks like?

By Sunday, drizzle had overtaken the area, but it wasn't enough to discourage either the volunteers or the participants and the parade and games went on.  Unlike many fundraising events that are held on the Cape, these festivities have no agenda other than to bring the community together for a small town good time and many people put a lot of effort and planning into this joyful event.

Chandler Travis & musicians du jour

Part of being a landmark location in a small town is occasionally becoming the topic of discussion, especially when people are giving directions.  So far, we are known as "the B&B at Fort Hill", the place with the blue sailboat in the yard, and now the house with the new solar roof panels.  By next summer, I also hope to be known as the place with the front bank full of roses, which we've been working on diligently this summer.  But until then, the shiny new panels, which can be seen for quite a distance will no doubt raise many questions and comments all winter.  

New roses & new solar panels

For the most part, Cape Cod looks like a snail trail on the northeast side of the United States.  Not much to compare to say, California or Florida, but yet we're totally self-contained with everything we could possible need.  It's not unusual to hear someone base a decision on whether something is across the Cape Cod Canal, or not.  It's not usually crossed without really good incentive, i.e. "are you kidding, that's over the bridge!"  There's something very comforting about that small separation between land masses, like a moat around a castle. 

Patience rewarded-last year's half price find (hibiscus).

One of our favorite parts of refreshing the B&B rooms for the next guests is to read the comments written in the Guest Books.  There are messages in French, German, Korean and mostly English.  Some are humorous and others are beautiful prose.  Here are some of our favorite abridged ones:

A guest from Australia wrote:  "We stayed at Crosswinds for several days in late October and it was a joyous experience.  We traveled by car some of the time, by bike (on loan from our hosts), and on foot (we brought our own).  The Studio is a delightful place to stay.  It comprises a spacious bed/living/dining/kitchen area and a bathroom which you can get really clean in. When we arrived and often when returning home, we'd find that the muffin fairy had visited.  But, despite how good the accommodation was, it was eclipsed by the hosts.  Ron & Andrea were (and probably still are) utterly delightful.  It's a sad thing about traveling like this that you meet people whom you'd want to be your best friends..."

"Beautiful area out here.  Very relaxing (especially coming out of Boston traffic-those drivers are INSANE!"

"The weather, eh, but loved the cottage and gardens.  Felt like home or better than our small, messy NYC apartments."

"Better than any crappy hotel/motel!  We will be back next year. Thanx for everything!"  

"Ron & Andrea are the perfect hosts.  They let us know they were around if we need anything, stocked the fridge with goodies and left us to do our thing.  They have the place set up with everything you need.  Literally, everything you need.  I really dig this place and would go back in a hot second.  Five stars!!

September brought guests from the UK, India, Germany, Boston & western MA, Brooklyn, NY, VT and very special family guests from Charlottesville, VA.   

Thanks for the visit! - Dale & Gene in P'town

  

2012 - August Musings

last summer's half-priced sunflower and guest 

When I start booking rooms in January, Labor Day seems like half a lifetime away, but here we almost are.  August tourists seem to be a little more frantic than July's, almost as if they've waited longer for their vacation so they're in a hurry to cram in as much of it as possible.  Driving anywhere has become a real-life computer game challenge of ever-increasing hazard levels, and trips to the dump in the August heat have become an endurance test from ripe combinations of cat poop and yesterday's lobster shells.  New faces are constantly checking in and out and the pace is unrelenting like the last leg of a marathon that will soon be over, but not just yet.  There are scads of fun things to do and no time to do most of them.    Guests checked in this month from the UK, Ontario, Ottawa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas, California, New York and Illinois.  People have even ignored the No Vacancy signs to knock on the door, just in case.  Labor Day looms on the calendar like an oasis and the first chrysanthemums have arrived at the market, which means that Autumn and relief is on the way. 

view from Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA

The most noteworthy event by far this month was the surprise return of our son, Sean, from three years working as a contractor in Afghanistan.  Watching BBC nightly news has become much less stressful as a result.  The basement is morphing once again into a hangout for him and invited friends while he explores employment options in a safer part of the world. 

Provincetown life imitates art

Great Whites are in the news again after a Colorado man was bitten while swimming in Truro, the first actual shark attack off Cape Cod since 1936.  It didn't take more than a couple of days to start seeing new shark T-shirts and I overheard in a local shop, "that ol' Great White wouldn't have been able to catch Michael Phelps last night."  Now, there's a new idea for Olympic trainers...

Life continues to serve up surprises and one presented itself this month in the form of an invitation by our friend, Dan, the Artistic Director of W.H.A.T. to be part of a comedy show called "Trials of Love".  The comedian, Mike Dorval, with the help of the audience sets out to resolve a disagreement presented by the invited couple.  Being the center of attention onstate has never been my idea of a relaxing evening, but I decided to be a good sport and try something new and I was glad I took the stretch.  It turned into a very fun evening and we even scored some gift certificates for participating.  The disagreement we came up with to be solved was that Ron wants the cats to be able to sleep with us, but being wedged between two cats ranging from 16 to 18 pounds is not conducive to a good night's sleep for me, especially when they decide to crawl on top of my chest.  When time was up and our cases were made, Ron received one tentative clap from a self-proclaimed cat lover, but the rest of the audience sided with me.

(That's 34 pounds of cat--I rest my case.)

I had another surprise this month, but more in the life-is-strange category than the pleasant kind.  When I returned to my car in a crowded parking lot, I found myself rear bumper to rear bumper with another car, making it impossible for me to leave.  After failing to locate the owner in a nearby shop, it dawned on me that the intruder must have rolled backwards into mine from the empty parking space directly opposite.  I finally located the chagrinned owner in another store, exchanged insurance information to get my cracked bumper fixed and decided that if I was going to be in an accident, this was an easy one to deal with.   

vintage Orleans police car

Although I don't get as much time as I'd like to take my camera exploring in the summer, I received a request to take cast pictures for a performance at Provincetown Theatre and I took the opportunity for a stroll to capture some images of what may be the most unique town on Cape Cod.  The people-watching is as rich as the seaside scenery itself and just in time for my next photo exhibit in the Orleans Cape Cod Five Bank.  Just as living anywhere else, we sometimes need reminders to stop and smell some hollyhocks.  

more Commercial Street views, Provincetown, MA

2012 - JULY MUSINGS

 Happy July - Happy Daisies

Just in time for 'Jaws Week'
Orleans' Nauset Beach in the next town south of us made national news this month and Walter Szulc claimed his 10 minutes of fame when a shark's dorsal fin was spotted behind his kayak.  Town officials briefly closed the beach to 3000 swimmers, but reopened with an advisory for people to just stay away from the seals.  Depending on the reporter, the shark was estimated between 12 and 16 feet and may or may not have been a great white.  In June, two great whites which were tagged last year by the Division of Marine Fisheries were detected off Cape Cod by acoustic receivers.  Shark expert and author of The Shark Handbook, Greg Skomal refers to Chatham as a "shark cafe" because of its close proximity to Monomoy Island, a favorite hangout for seals.  What the reporters should have mentioned is that in 1972 the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited the killing of harbor seals which is the reason that we're overrun with these gourmet shark dinners.  The sharks either didn't get the news, or just choose to ignore it.  One great white was quoted as saying, "we've been eatin' seals a'fore you washed ashore here and no wicked piece'a pay-pah's gonna make us stop."

Nauset Beach, Orleans, MA, courtesy of the Cape Cod Times

I promise myself every summer that I won't whine about the heat, but our solar roof panels can't come fast enough for me so we can at least make use of all the hot sun.  Summer's a very "hummy" time.  The air conditioners, fans and bread makers hum, the generator hums every Tuesday at noon when it tests itself.  The cars hum as they pass each other on the nearby highway.  The hummingbirds constantly at our feeders are about the only things that don't hum.  Merchants, innkeepers and beach goers are of course thrilled with all this hot humming.  Meanwhile, I'm tending my gardens dreaming of cool,peaceful snow, and thankful we're only in the double digits here.  It's blueberry picking time and our two mature bushes have rewarded us with a big bowl of luscious fruit.  The two babies that got planted last summer are still alive and well, but not producing, yet.  Newly adopted from the Agway half-price tables are a pussy willow bush, a cardinalis, some gay feathers, coneflowers, brown-eyed Susans, bee balm, and of course, can't have too many hydrangeas.   

Last of the blueberries

The B&B made the perfect setting for a sisters reunion.  We haven't all been together since a wedding a couple of days prior to our move here from Virginia.  We were also joined by three nieces and a spare boyfriend.  The logistics of getting seven people pointed in the same direction and moving forward are much like pushing jello up a hill.  There's a lot of discussion about who wants to do what, how many cars it will take and who will ride with whom.  There are the usual false starts with trips back for various forgotten items.  The days are filled with general statements announcing what someone has decided to do and intermittent snack, tea and latte urges which spread contagiously.  But, we managed to do a fair amount of sightseeing without overload and saved some for next time.  Our mom would have been proud of her girls. 

This is the time of year when guests are coming and going so fast, I start contemplating footsteps.  Not the kind we leave in the sand or snow, but the impressions we all make on our own environments.  We never know what we'll see when we go in to prepare the B&B rooms for the next guests.  Sometimes they're just as neat as when they checked in.  Other times it's like the day after a New Year's Eve party. Still other times, people have decided to rearrange the furniture.  It's like this:  there are people who walk through a room and it gets neater and others who walk through and it gets messier.  We all leave footsteps, some just larger than others.  This month's guests are from as far away as England, Norway and Switzerland, and on this side of the pond from Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts and New York.  We even had someone who grew up in Eastham stay with us.  Apparently, lobsters are so plentiful in Maine, where they now live, that it has driven the price down below a living wage and they were here looking for restaurant contacts.

Race Point footsteps, Provincetown, MA

One of the joys of living in a small-town community that attracts artists of every type is that they are frequently willing to lend their creative hands to the constant fundraising that goes on to take care of our residents.  Two such events caught my eye this month.  The first is sponsored by the Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary and is called "Sitting Pretty".  The purpose is to raise money for a new Digital Mammography Suite in Hyannis.  Anyone can contribute old wooden chairs and participating local artists will turn them into works of art to be auctioned off at a showing at the Cultural Center.  The second is called "Art Outside the Box", which for the eighth year running turns ordinary lunch boxes into works of art to be auctioned at the Ocean Edge Resort to benefit the Children's Place.  In the past, they have sold for between $50 to over $1000 and last year netted $42,000.  Helping neighbors by doing what you love is such a WIN-WIN.

"Art Outside the Box"

Lots of Critter News:

Just when you think there are no more surprises...well, butter my buns and call me a biscuit!  When I went to raise the door on the chipmunk trap, I came face to face with a creature I had to look up on google to identify.  The B&B had just checked in its first weasel.  I quickly learned that these cute little rodents have a very strong line of defense in the form of odor glands.  This little guy smelled so bad I couldn't even consider putting him in the car to relocate him, so he was released back to the salt marshes from where he came.  With a little help from Wikipedia, I also learned that in the winter, the coats of weasels who live in the North turn white and they're called ermine.  There's just no telling what a spoonful of peanut butter will catch.

 "Pop", the Weasel

Also in the critter catching news is a 21 pound, 150 year old lobster at Capt'n Elmer's restaurant in Orleans.  Rather than sell it for the retail cost of $170, the family-owned restaurant decided to sell $5 raffle tickets and donate the proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  The last time a mega-lobster was brought to the fish market, someone bought him and set him free in the ocean.  This time the raffle winner donated it to the Boston Aquarium.  It's not always about dinner here, but I admit that my mouth is watering a little bit. 

This photo released by the New England Aquarium, in Boston Tuesday, July 24, 2012, shows a 21-pound lobster caught July 14 off Cape Cod, and donated to the aquarium where it will be displayed after a 30-day quarantine period. (AP Photo/New England Aquarium, Emily Bauernfeind) 


Lastly, I'm happy to report that after a one-year hiatus, the bunnies have returned to Crosswinds B&B.  As I recall, they moved on when the skunks moved in, but the discovery of two babies under the pink dogwood in the courtyard has confirmed that they've reclaimed their territory and we couldn't be prouder of our new grandkids.  (Takes the pressure off of Sean & Doug...)  

Baby Bunny Daniels