A Cape March 2014

The "white sands" at Nauset Light Beach

Although it's been one of the coldest and snowiest winters in a long while, it's also been the busiest one of our five here so far.  Even when the winds are howling and the ground has morphed into mysterious white shapes, Cape Cod is still an inviting place to get away from the regular grind to enjoy the peaceful purity of off-season.  We hosted winter adventurers in January, February & March from as far away as Washington State, New Mexico, New Jersey, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, Indiana and several different towns around Massachusetts.   Many take the drive up to Provincetown to go as far as one can go on the Cape and others make it only as far as the top of Fort Hill, the Eastham Superette and the fireplace.  But, all seem to enjoy the respite.  Truthfully, there has been snow on the ground for so much of the winter, it looks strange when we get a brief warmup and see grass for a few days.  After the long stretch of frigid temperatures, a mid-30's warmup feels like Spring.  Even the daffodils and tulips have sent up exploratory buds.  But, regardless of the official Spring Equinox, March hasn't skimped on the last days of winter beauty and even as the snow mountains in parking lots are shrinking, it continues to decorate our trees like a winter paint by numbers scene.

Coast Guard Beach under cover

Almost immediately after the Patriots lost the last chance to play in the Superbowl this year, I was hungering for news of the Red Sox.  Finally, even as winter storms with scary names continuously swept across the country, the faint sound of baseball summer training camp was in the air.  Who won't be back, whose contract is on the line, who's on the injury list, but most importantly, who still has a beard from last year.  So far, only one of last year's bearded champions, Mike Napoli, has kept it going and it's mightier than ever.  But, he may give it a second thought after all the attention the clean-shaven Mike Gomes is receiving for looking decades younger without one, and also earning $10,000 for charity for shaving it in public.  

GO SOX 2014

March started off for me with another month-long photography exhibit at my bank.  Cape Cod 5 graciously shares their entrance hall wall to local artists by the month.  The staff and customers, enjoy the ever-changing displays and it's an opportunity for artists to showcase their work.  It's my third time displaying there and Saturday seems to definitely be a good day to hang an exhibit because with the busy foot traffic, I sold two pictures before they could even go up on the wall.  It's also been fun to walk through the lobby on a banking errand and anonymously overhear people commenting favorably on the photos.  With their few kind words, a self-indulgent hobby becomes transformed into appreciated art, and the Cape never disappoints, always providing tempting subjects to shoot.  This exhibit turned into an even bigger opportunity when I received an invitation to sell matted local shots in an Orleans gift shop.  One never knows when serendipity will sprout like a Spring bulb long ago tended and forgotten.

"Recycled Frames - Fresh Visions - Affordable Art"

Abundant opportunities for entertainment are also typical of winter in the arts-rich Cape environment.  We tend to cozy up to the fireplace and Netflix a lot, but with so many music and theatre temptations available, we eventually pull on the parkas and venture out.  We recently treated ourselves to a Thursday night at the Harvest Wine Gallery where our Eastham friend, Chandler Travis and his "Three-O" band, surrounded us [literally] in the most eclectic and brilliant set of music you'll find anywhere.  This is not your average band for so many reasons and to be enclosed in a cocoon of their skillful and lovely arrangements is the ultimate musical decadence and worth a trip in "thunder snow".  

Click to see the Chandler Travis Three-O Bio

Our next winter escapade was another play reading at the Provincetown Theatre Foundation's 2014 Winter Readings Series that Ron was invited to participate in.  

"It's A Grand Night For Murder", by Joe Starzyk

At least Ron got to stay alive in this skillfully written, wicked-dark comedy.  This is a great venue for unknown writers to test their creations out on an audience with actors.  We definitely give this one a thumbs-up and hope to see it staged in the future.

The next adventure was also in Provincetown, where Ron was asked to reprise another of his recent "dead men" roles to help film a promo to turn it into an independent film for festivals.  This was a new experience for me and I was invited to take some still shots for its promotion and enjoyed seeing the process.  It's not every day you get to take pictures of your husband running down a snowy street in boxers and cowboy boots.  If you're wondering just how a dead guy does that, you'll have to wait for the movie.  

  Takin' it for the team

In the spirit of another Spring, there are a few new things around the B&B, along with the abundance of green sprouts.  The Cottage has a gleaming, new, energy-efficient refrigerator and the Studio is getting a new, wood floor.  Also, there are solar panels going up in nine different towns, including ours, at the transfer stations to take advantage of the sunny wide-open spaces.  And, everyone is rejoicing at the return of Daylight Savings Time.

A Spring walk in Provincetown

Lastly for this month, I'm reminded of all the PTA newsletters I used to have to proof before distributing them to students to take home.  Without exception, every one would start out, "I can't believe it's already...(fill in the blank)."   Although I understood what they meant, I always wanted to point out that if an entire season, or even year had slipped by without making any impression on them, they probably weren't paying attention.  This year marks our fifth winter here on the Cape and I can believe it.  One doesn't shed an entire life and take on a new one immediately.  It happens "little by slow", a new expression I've picked up here, when suddenly everything and everyone isn't all new anymore.  Each new, little step towards feeling at home happens joyously and I look forward to them all.  That said, I may be the only one left looking forward to "Wiley", the next Nor'easter barreling up the East Coast with what most are hoping is the finale of winter storms.     

It won't be long...