2012 - March Musings

Return of the Red Winged Blackbirds

In every small community there is always spirited debate about local issues.  Shortly after relocating here, I became aware of a conflict between NSTAR (our power company) and the locals who hung big anti-spraying signs along the roads to protest their using herbicides to keep vegetation down around power lines.  I am so proud of my little town for having the courage to look outside of the box to come up with a solution for protecting our water supply.  We now have four town goats working for the Department of Public Works, whose job it is to clear away those pesky weeds without a drop of poison.  Their names are Alan (named for a DPW worker with a similar goatee), Butt Head, Tag and Momma.  Aside from occasional hoof trimmings, they are pretty maintenance free.  
Could we BE any greener?

Snowdrops, 1st flower of Spring

And, if your curiosity has you wondering about how protest signs led to goats, it's safe to say that it was most likely a hot topic at one of our regular town meetings.  It's how most everything is decided here, up close and personal.  Ron promised we would eventually end up attending one and this turned out to be the month when our Chamber of Commerce brought the proposed changes for the town's sign code to our attention.  The Town Hall meeting was preceded by a more informal meeting, a week prior that was sponsored by the Chamber and Red Barn Pizza.  The entire Planning Commission was invited to present (mostly defend) the revised sign code.  It was nice to rediscover that our town consists of some very articulate neighbors, as well as some colorful characters, too, such as "The Self-Appointed Mayor of West Eastham.  (There is no West Eastham.)  Tempers quickly flared despite some very tasty complimentary pizza, but reason finally prevailed when it was conceded that the problems were more in the wording of the code than the actual code.  It was just so unclear that nobody could understand it.  By the time the real town meeting rolled around, the members of the Planning Board were almost contrite about the language and it was decided that there would be a sub-committee meeting with one of the most verbal objectors helping to further hone an acceptable code.  With that, the fizz went right out of the anticipated free-for-all and I will have to wait for another hot topic to come along.  Meanwhile, I've become part of Eastham "history" on the televised hearing that absolutely nobody will ever have reason to watch.

Next come crocuses

Clam Pie Surprise

What one of our friends lacks in short term memory he more than makes up for with generosity, so it was a lovely surprise after months of promises when he showed up with all the makings for Sea Clam Pie and announced that he was going to teach me how to make one.  It was every bit as good as advertised and we may just have to purchase a shellfish license this year.

Then come daffodils

Newsflash about Green Eggs & Ham
O.K. how many of you have had the experience of making eggs with green dye for a school class during Dr. Seuss Week?  Well, guess what?  There really are green eggs, as 2 friends here who have chickens have proven, but it's the shell, not the insides.  There are also blue eggs and many other variations.  Still learning, I'm pleased to say.

Stephan's Free Range Chickens at the Great Cape Herb Farm

Bragging Rights
I've always tried not to be an insufferable braggart of a parent, but we're just so darned tickled with our new cat, Tom, who has turned out to be quite a mouser.  Wherever they've been quietly hiding in the basement, he has hunted them down and proudly presented them to us, displaying superior hockey skills as he uses them for a puck.  I don't like to let this kind of bullying go on for long, but Tom is not happy about having his toy taken from him and doesn't give it up easily.  This time, I got Ron to pick him up, mouse dangling from his mouth, and I opened the front door thinking he might drop him outside on his own.  Mickey indeed was able to make a break for it, but ran up Ron's head instead before diving for the front lawn.  Note to Ron:  next time wear a hat.  You're all scratching now, aren't you?

Tom & Mickey

March B&B Guests 

Our March guests have included 2 Yoga instructors taking master classes, a NYC couple escaping their bathroom renovation, a couple from Boston with an adorable 7 month old, another NYC couple just getting away and a mother and grown son from Germany who saw our sign and took a chance.

Bob enjoying a last cozy fire before summer

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
I know Cape Cod doesn't corner the market on strange weather, but we have certainly had our share, too.  After one of the mildest winters on record, it seemed that we would just coast right into an early summer.  Even the herring are running early.  Reluctantly, I stripped off the blankets and got out summer clothes, then WORE the summer clothes before winter finally arrived THIS WEEK.  But, the daffodils could care less and frankly I'm relieved that summer won't be 6 months long.

The herring are running, the herring are running!

Return of the squirrels
Winter was fairly squirrel free at the feeders for some reason.  But, if I dared hope that they'd given up on us, Spring brought them back two-fold.  With the trapped-count swelling to 124 during a 2-year period, I decided it was time to start over for 2012 and replenish the peanut butter supply.  With #5 tucked in the car this morning on my way to an appointment in Orleans, I once again found that like a crying baby, the noisiest squirrel will calm right down on a car ride.  While this is great for babies, it's problematic for squirrels because I forget that they're in the back and drive around with them all day.  #5 finally made an unscheduled stop at Willy's Gym late in the day when I went for my workout and he had no parting thoughts to offer.     

Winter surfers - it's never too cold for them.

March's Video
Less than an easy 1/2-mile walk from our home is the beginning of the Cape Cod National Seashore.  Our entrance to it is called Fort Hill and it's beloved by birders, naturalists, hikers and many locals and visitors who never tire of drinking in the serene beauty.  Please enjoy this month's photo offering with music by Boko Suzuki:  

Four Seasons of Fort Hill