2012 - January Musings

The biggest news this month is that the New England Patriots are on their way to the Super Bowl. But, you either already knew that, or you don't follow football or watch the news.  Either way, it's pretty hard to ignore it where I live. 

Wintertime on Fort Hill

January has had weather for everyone, starting the month with a day of delightful "ocean smoke", the flurries that come off of the water regardless of whether it's overcast or sunny.  As delicate snowflakes tickled my face and colored the day with peaceful beauty, I was reminded of the effect that the mention of one snowflake in the media had on my old hometown.  Though it was popular to voice suspicion that grocers and forecasters conspired, the store shelves never failed to empty of bread, milk, water, batteries, salt and shovels each time.  The meteorologists aren't any better with predictions here than anywhere else, a case in point being the mid-month ten inch white-out that put their 1-3" guess to shame.  It was good validation for having invested in the snow blower our first year here, although if we'd waited a couple of days, a drastic warmup would have taken care of it all.  Off came the coats, to the delight of the grumbling winter-haters and it was Spring again.  I've even noticed buds on the lilac tree.  For an easy, no-mess snow experience from the warmth of your home, please click on the following link:  

                                        January Cape Snow

Tom & Bob, our feline boys, have reached a comfortable level of acceptance and routine.  Tommy, the new guy, is feeling quite at home, claiming the top of the sofa as his territorial perch and has at least doubled his weight.  Bobby spends a little more time downstairs on the futon than in his pre-Tom days, but he's usually up for a little "smack and tumble", a stare down, or "let's see what's under the rug".  There's still a little lap competition, but with two cats and two laps, it's usually resolved by distraction.

The consignment stores are reopening after a month off and accepting items for sale again.  The Orleans Community Exchange's goal for this year is 20 scholarships and my staging services are still in demand. I can't say that the urge to collect and sell things has decreased much in my third year, but I'm still honing the art of pickiness.  Winter's not the best time to find things, but around here it's not the worst, either.  I'm continuing to update our wardrobes with free designer clothes, keep the bookshelves stocked with best sellers and find all sorts of useful items I never knew I needed.  Some of my recent bounty for resale: a child's wooden rocker, a covered, painted ceramic pie plate still in the box, twin dolls in a wicker carrying basket, a new kayak cockpit cover and a birdhouse lamp.  The treasures are unpredictable,  never-ending and exciting, and the thank you notes from kids we've helped with college expenses are rewarding.   



Yes, we even get B&B guests in the middle of a snowstorm in January!  Of course, people from Vermont laugh at our winter, so it didn't stop this woman from booking a six night get-away and showing up prepared to do some hiking.  Bookings are beginning to come in for March through June.  

After settling in to our new home and business the first year, I began to look for volunteer opportunities that would help to immerse me in the community.  The Lower Cape Outreach Council seemed to offer a variety of options since with no government funding, they manage to stock nine food pantries, operate a free used clothing 'store', provide financial assistance and counseling, and help to make holidays happen for those who qualify for assistance.  In short order, after submitting a volunteer application online during the holidays, I was recruited for the Development Committee to assist the Executive Director, who had taken on more than was comfortably possible.  It wasn't the zen-like grunt work for a good cause that I'd envisioned, but I'm finding it another rich source of education about my neighbors and neighborhoods.  It's also what keeps a lot of people busy during the winter, planning the fundraisers that make it possible to serve eight towns on the Outer Cape.  There's definitely more going on here in the winter than meets the eye!

Some favorite Eastham neighbors

2011 - December Holiday Snippets

The blog picks up on December 18th, which is notable only because of our 1st snowfall of the season on the Cape.  It was just enough to look pretty for a couple of days and gave us the opportunity to get new winter pictures taken.  We were treated to more flurries on Christmas Eve, but it was more for mood than accumulation.  We're under the same "where's winter" influence as much of the rest of the country this year, with a coat-day now and then, although we're not immune to the occasional Arctic blasts that also roll through.

Our friend, Chandler, has been the host for the Annual Christmas Musical Caravan to raise money for the Cape's homeless shelter for more years than he'd probably like to acknowledge.  To his credit, it grows larger every year, with every familiar name on the Cape performing a couple of holiday numbers.  We finally made the scene this year, decked out in our Santa bobble hats.  With standing room only, we just made it through the first set before giving in to gravity and calling it a night.  I was glad to have been able to finally see the highly recommended Parkington Sisters and Tripping Lilly live for the first time.  Next year, we'll go earlier and save seats.  Click on the links, if you'd like a little sample:

                                             Tripping Lilly - Santa Will Find You

                                                 Parkington Sisters - Sailor Song

We spent Christmas Day as we frequently do, seeing a movie and ordering Chinese take-out for dinner.  This year's well-worth-it movie was Steven Spielberg's Warhorse, and we received a surprise random act of kindness when the woman ahead of us turned around and shared a free pass.  Later, Hunan III's Beef & Broccoli over Fried Rice ably scratched my Chinese food itch.  We didn't hear any sleigh bells that night, but our wind chimes sang their usual sweet sea songs.

We were invited to spend New Year's Eve, with a large group at Hunan III's buffet table OR, light eats and quiet conversation with half dozen friends at one of their homes.    The buffet and merriment was tempting, but the quieter choice won out.  On the way, a quick stop at the store for party food also yielded two, complimentary Happy New Year balloons, which were almost as shiny as our goofy, three year old grins.  Big revelers that we are, we were all home in our comfy clothes well before the ball dropped, ready to gently tip a hat to another new year.

Salt Pond

New Year's Day 1, which was again, seasonably warm, was spent blazing some new walking trails for me at the Salt Pond Center, and bonus motorcycle rides for Ron.  The New England Patriots did their part to start the year off right with a come-from-behind win, ensuring their place in the play-offs.  GO PATS!  

New Year's Day 2 was spent together flying kites at beaches that I hadn't seen, yet, in the town of Dennis .  All in all, except for the Cape Cod Canal being closed for four hours for a rare passage of a pod of right whales, the holidays crept by uneventfully, with most people quietly confiding that they couldn't wait for them to be over.  I was beginning to wonder if I knew anyone who was immune to the negative aspects and actually looked forward to the holidays.  Please, speak up and share what you loved about the holidays this year!  

Click on the link below to see a quick video:

Kiteflying at Dennis Beaches

At the B&B, we hosted one couple from Northampton, MA for Christmas and another from Cambridge, MA for New Year's.  Both expressed a strong desire to get away from the holiday madness to a peaceful place where they could just read and explore the natural beauty of the seashore.  That's one bill we can confidently fill any time of year.

Wishing all a year of good health, good choices, patience and humor.  We're going to need it all in an election year!