2013 - Frosty February

 Hydrangea memories; beautiful even in winter

By now I think it's been well established that winter has not become obsolete, yet.  There's been anywhere from a dusting of snow to drifts of three feet on the ground all month and ice fisherman have even been spotted on the ponds again.  As soon as the last storm's deposit gets dirty, there's a fresh cover to tidy things up.  Meanwhile, Eastham's Wild Care Center is caring for many of the avian victims that found themselves beached or wandering around in parking lots after Snowstorm #2, which apparently did not rate a name from the Weather Channel this time.  Their current patients include a peregrine falcon and two Atlantic puffins, which is a rare occurrence in this neighborhood.  Our Governor Duval has raised the suggestion of comparing the cost of burying power lines vs. the cost of restoring power from an increasing number of "super-storms", and it's becoming a popular subject in the papers.  In fact, so many residents on the Cape have lost power this winter, there was a cooking column in the Cape Codder about how to cook a roast in your fireplace.  All through New England, towns are lamenting the depletion of their snow plowing funds, but if one looks in the gardens during the brief thaws, daffodil shoots are fearlessly peeking through and waiting for their cue to take their marks on center stage.  It's an annual hurry-up-and-wait process and a little reminder that nothing is forever, including a frosty February.  

Late night deer party outside the bedroom window.

Just as it happened for us last winter right after the holidays, early birds are avidly booking summer vacations.  If this month is any indication for us, it's going to be another busy year.  It's the first time we've ever had to turn anyone away in February for a date in July because it was already full.  WeNeed aVacation.com is also expressing cautious optimism for the 2013 rental season, confirming that early bookings for vacation rental homes on the Cape and Islands is up over 16% over the same period last year.  Our beaches may have been rearranged a little since last summer, but that's just part of Mother Nature's best show on earth. 

Wind tracks in the snow

When I first met our fisherman friend, Ray, I quickly found out that one of his favorite ways to entertain himself was to see if he could convince us to believe a totally bogus story that he'd made up.  So sometimes it's difficult to tell when he's telling the truth, like the day before he was leaving to visit his daughter in Germany and he got a friend to call us to say that his boat sank and he needed a hand.  We were sure he was just pulling another fast one, but it actually did turn out to be true.  And, I thought it was just another fish tale when he told us that his favorite meal was cod cheeks.  Yeah, sure, Ray, you love to eat fish faces.  Well, I can now sheepishly confirm that we've since been treated to cod cheeks and that they do exist and are indeed delicious.  And, so are fish napes, but unless you're a fisherman, or know one, you'll probably never see them.  It's not worth it to the fish markets to pay a cutter for the time it takes to cut out those parts so they're usually thrown away with the heads. Once again, lucky us, and sorry for doubting you, Ray.

That's Ray on the right when bass fishing was at its peak in the '80's

I've recently become aware of a wonderful health care opportunity in our area called Community Acupuncture.  It's not a new concept, but this particular office in the town of Dennis was only the fourth one to open in this country.  As the name suggests, treatment is done on several clients at once in a common room, as it was first done in China, and advertising is done only by word of mouth, allowing the practitioner to charge much more affordable sliding scale rates.  Because of that factor, I decided to try it as an alternative to a cortisone shot for a recent shoulder injury.  The experience has been totally pleasant and impressive and seems to have really jump-started the healing process.  Click on the following link if you'd like to read an informative story by the Cape Cod Times about acupuncture and Diana's clinic: 

 http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/LIFE/801100301

From the Cape Cod Times - Diana DiGioia 

One of the amusements for me living in this neck of the woods is the unmistakable regional accent that turns words like 'party' into 'potty'.  Though the ear gets used to the Northern inflections, a particularly thick, northern patois still reminds me that I'm not in Virginia anymore.  Everyone's heard "pahk the cah in Hahvud Yahd", but I'm starting a collection dubbed 'Yankee Doodlisms'.  Some samples:

fenda-benda:  when two cars get in a little accident 

oystuh-crackas:  the tiny, round crunchy things you get when you order chowdah

winta-weathuh:  ice and snow  

You get the idea. 

Keeping cozy

If February's not your favorite month, congratulations on weathering another one and if blizzards are not your idea of fun, you're over the hump.