2015-16 Confessions of a Holiday-phobe

Back by popular demand - it's gonna be a blue, blue xmas, 
the new, open-for-business signal during the off-season.

Winter-2015 on the Cape has certainly gotten off to a slow start weather-wise, but if you recall, last year's did, too, and it was unforgettably snowy.  So, we shall do the only sure-fire thing - just wait and see what winter has in store for us.

         

Every town has their own holiday traditions, and Eastham focuses on children.  Our Chamber of Commerce, with help from local businesses and neighbors, puts on an annual festival with toys, Santa, pony rides, yummies to eat, and lots of kid-friendly activities.  It's always a well attended event.  This year, there's also a town-wide collaboration for a month-long celebration of special savings offers from local retailers.  

Quintessential Cape Cod

Wait, did I really just publicly admit to being a holiday-phobe?  Guilty, if that's someone who cringes at the first sound of Christmas music in the stores right after Halloween.  You know the song, the one that goes around and around without end, and you can't get it out of your head even hours after you get home.  Yes, that's me, and as long as I'm kvetching, I think red and green are a great look for holly trees and nandina bushes, but electrification is, well, a little too Vegas for my taste.  And, it really and truly makes me sad when I see crash commercialism encouraging struggling families to bankrupt themselves, buying the latest must-have's for their kids to make up for the time they can't spend with them because they're working extra jobs to make ends meet.  Many of these gifts become obsolete by New Year's Day, and I also wonder how many of us really stop to see whether we're contributing to our local economy, or China's smog problem?  And, OH NO, what if everybody wants to come to our house this year?  OR, what if nobody wants to come to our house this year?  Not to mention, how have so many people been convinced that Christmas was so under attack that seasonal greetings have become awkward, politically incorrect mumbles and shrugs?  People, people, people...please, just take your holidays back and be happy with whatever you choose.  

But, a funny thing happened to me this year...  

Chandler, our voice of Christmas

Pagans don't have many holiday traditions, but one that has become dear to us is attending the local Christmas Cavalcade, hosted by our good friend, Chandler Travis.  It's a tremendous undertaking that raises money for a local homeless shelter, and none of the dozens of talented performers who joyously participate would even think of taking any payment for their time.  This was maybe the fifth one we've been to, and as I greeted all these friendly, talented people and sat down to see what Chandler came up with this year, I found myself actually looking forward to hearing what turns out to be, my favorite holiday songs.  NO, make that my favorite Christmas songs.  There, I said it.  They're not the ones you hear relentlessly in the stores, or I would probably grow to hate them, too.  But, the lovely "Santa Will Find You", a song performed by Tripping Lilly about a child spending Christmas Eve away from home, always lingers comfortingly in my sub-conscience as a soundtrack for the rest of the season.   Another favorite part of the Cavalcade for me is Christine Rathbun Ernst's annual "rant".  She always manages to come up with something topical and cleverly ties it in to a poignant holiday message, bringing the audience to a standing ovation.  Last year's started with the Pajama-Gram ads on NPR. This year, I was sure we'd be hearing something about Starbuck's red cup debacle, but her surprise topic was about something she had seen about parthenogenesis, and gently suggested it could finally scientifically explain the virgin birth.  Look it up, or if you're too sensitive about such matters to poke fun, maybe don't.  A new favorite this year was a rendition by Chandler and two other accomplished penny whistle players [they must have practiced at least once after purchasing them] of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire".  They played this classic in three-part harmony, and then just to show off, again blindfolded.  And the Ticks, an all-woman band known for their clever, comedic style, who usually present an anything goes, holiday-based musical play for the occasion, absolutely dropped everyone's jaws as they sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus in four-part harmony, borrowing Fred Boak from Chandler's band.  Fred also rose to the occasion in a lovely green tulle skirt, in the "all-girl" Ukelele Elf Band accompanying Steve Shook's new classic, "This is no time for fun (this is Christmas)".  And, I must say that from our first row seats, staring up into tiny Sioban Magnus' mighty windpipes as she belts "Christmas [Baby Please Come Home]" with the band, is a bit of a religious experience in itself.  The Cavalcade isn't a "holiday" celebration; it's a Christmas celebration that gives even a big pagan a solid case of the warm fuzzies.  I hope you can open the following link.  Grab a cup of cocoa and enjoy:  

"Santa Will Find You"  

Even though pagans eschew traditional holidays based on religious events, our celebration of the winter solstice, though much simpler, has some similarities.  Lights, lights, and more lights to brighten the inky darkness of a small seaside town in the winter.  Up to my elbows in cookie dough, I reminisce about past holidays and if the weather cooperates, a big "Yule log" in the fireplace as we cozy up in the evenings with hot cider and a big cinnamon stick.  Snowflakes and icicles decorate the centuries old beams in the kitchen, and savory aromas from the oven turn into gifts of the heart.  I celebrate this special, sparkly season not least of all for the rest period that nature [and resort innkeepers] deserve before the next grand show in the Spring.  For now, I choose to see the humor in the Happy Chanukah pillow slips and the HO, HO, HO sheet sets, the Santa dog and cat costumes and the sparkly bows placed on each package of meat at the grocery.  And, if a blanket of white were to tuck us all in for awhile, all the better.  It makes Spring all the sweeter.     

From the :

Ron Daniels sports a top hat and tails to read his portion of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" on Saturday in Wellfleet. Steve Heaslip photos/Cape Cod Times

WELLFLEET — An empty stage with a single lectern and microphone was the setting for what was a surprisingly touching rendition of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” read aloud Saturday at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater.

About 15 volunteers — some actors, some not — read 21 sections of the story, which dates from 1843. Dickens' tale tells the story of a miser named Ebenezer Scrooge who on Christmas Eve learns about generosity through a series of encounters with ghosts.

Twenty-five people were in the audience, many wearing touches of red such as a Santa hat or holiday vest. One reader wore a dark suit and a top hat that seemed to hark back to the 1840s.

Best holiday advice I saw this year.

"Solstice Eve" brought us the gift of our first bluebirds of the season.  We usually don't see them until February, and only for a few days.  No matter what we're doing, the  excited proclamation of "BLUEBIRD" brings the other one running to the window.  

And, best gift of the year!
Welcome, little one.

2015 Another Autumn at Crosswinds B&B

A friend of ours told me shortly after moving here that post-Labor Day weather was like a switch that turned summer weather off, and Autumn weather on.  That hasn't proven to be the case this year.  Labor Day weekend brought some of the soupiest weather we had all summer, and it has fluctuated between T-shirt temperatures and fireplace weather throughout the season.  But, if Mother Nature seemed confused, the merchants were there to remind everyone with piles of pumpkins, technicolor chrysanthemums, stacks of firewood and New England Patriots gear.  Despite being the hottest recorded year on record for our planet, we still go by our calendars.  

Autumn paints Fort Hill

As the days get shorter and colder, local lobstermen begin the arduous task of hauling in their lobster pots.  Recently, a friend gifted to us a 14 pound lobster that got caught in his fishing net.  Usually, a lobster one gets for dinner weighs between 1-3 pounds, so when one of this size is caught, it's reason for a banquet.  You may remember our friend, Ray, who has lobstered for years, but has had to depend on friends to place and empty his traps this summer because his boat needs work.  This comes with a price.  When Ray visits his family in western Mass, he's expected to come with lobster, so when he found his supply running short, there was some fancy wheeling and dealing that went on.  In the end, "Pinchy the Lobster" went to Amherst, and we dined on a few smaller ones in exchange.  Easy come, easy go.

Pinchy the Lobster

Autumn affords us the slower small-town tempo we've missed during the summer frenzy of vacations.  Sometimes when going out, I enjoy pausing at the main intersection for just a moment to fully appreciate that there is nobody to wait on before turning.  Each day, the magnificent, decades-old trees give up another layer, looking like showgirls shedding frilly costumes to reveal their lean, strong physiques. The brisk winds make new, crunchy carpet designs on the ground each day until a concerted effort gathers and converts them to their next use as mulch.  Even the cats notice the change.  If there's a spot of sun anywhere, or a lap to be had, they are on it like heat-seeking missiles. Their dinnertime comes in inky darkness, now.  And, Tom knows that cooler weather means more likelihood of mice to catch, and there's no better entertainment for this 19-pound Maine Coon Cat.  Recently, a mouse that got trapped behind glass doors in the fireplace held his attention for three days, until it pulled "a Santa" and disappeared.   

Ho, ho, where'd he go?

The official word on new love-it or hate-it rotary in Orleans is in.  The Orleans police chief reports that while there were nearly as many accidents in that location as before, the injuries and damages were less because everyone now goes slower.  "It's not perfect", he said, "but, it's better."  Meanwhile, installation of underground pipes for the new Eastham town-wide water system has begun and is testing patience as four lanes narrow to three to get the job done.  As the town with the reputation of the best likelihood to get a speeding ticket, we at least have the extra lane to close to keep 2-way traffic moving.  Many towns only have two lanes, and road work means that forward progress requires much more patience as lanes take turns.  This is not a project that would be attempted during summer traffic, and now the race is on to complete as much as possible before snow impedes further progress.

Burke McKelvey and John Clark of the Chandler Travis Philharmonic
at the Wellfleet Oyster Festival

The one thing that hasn't slowed down is the amount of entertainment still available on this tiny island.  As usual, we took a shift manning the raffle ticket table during Eastham's Windmill Weekend in September.  We always manage to be there while the parade comes through.

And, in October, Wellfleet hosts an annual weekend Oyster Festival, which promotes the town's famous commodity.  Like other similar festivals, this one started small and has grown to be a regional event with a variety of activities to please everyone.  

Local theaters are still very active this time of year, and we indulged in three shows this Fall.  WHAT [Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre] put on an impressive production of Thrill Me, a musical based on the Leopold and Loeb murder in 1920.  I know, I know...a musical about a murder?  I wasn't sure, either, but in the hands of capable writer, Stephen Dolginoff and the two actors and one piano player, it was impressively entertaining.

Cape Rep in Brewster staged La Cage aux Folles. Although, in our opinion, it wasn't up to the quality of shows we've seen there in the past, it got rave reviews from local critics, and certainly was no less than a fun, evening romp.

We also went to the Wellfleet Library to see an informal reading of a new play called, The Critic, written by Brenda Withers, a local member of the Harbor Stage Theatre in Wellfleet.  At a bar in a small town in Russia, a colorful group of characters unwittingly undermine their own opportunism.  The room was packed and both the writing and reading was well-received.

November is the time for Eastham to celebrate its own infamous commodity at the annual Turnip Festival.  Don't think I don't hear that snarky snickering, but honestly, there are much worse things to be known for.  They're better than the traffic tickets, don't you think?  I entered the "Frozen Eastham" category of the photography contest on a last minute whim, and promptly forgot about it until I received a Monday morning call to advise me I'd won a grand prize.  No, it wasn't a turnip, it was a gift certificate from a framing shop, but if it had been a turnip, I would have been just as pleased.  Honestly.

Grand prize in the "Frozen Eastham" category.

People are still finding many different reasons to make their way to Eastham throughout the Fall.  We've hosted guests from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Florida, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.  And, not least of all, our first sighting at our feeders of a new, feathered friend, an Eastern Towhee.  He was identified for us by Mike O'Connor, our go-to bird man at the Orleans Bird Watchers Store.  He says it's one of his favorite birds, but [newsflash] he says that about all our birds. 

Eastern Towhee

The last news for Fall, although it won't have any impact on most readers, but is a very significant event to us, is becoming first-time grandparents to a beautiful, 10 lb. 3 oz. bouncing baby boy.  The second Daniels son to be born at Cape Cod Hospital made a lovely full circle in our family.  Our new little "sandkicker", named Ryan, made his first official visit to the B&B on his one-week birthday, and we look forward to many more.  

Grandpa's little sandkicker

    Best wishes to all 

for a healthy and grateful holiday season. 

2015 - Another Summer Season at Crosswinds B&B Suites

Summer looms large at the beginning of the season with all possibilities ahead of us in question form.  Will there be good weather?  Will the traffic be as bad?  Will the gardens do well?  Will sharks bother the swimmers?  It all unfolds day by day much as it does every year, but with the season's own unique memories that set it apart from other years.  I took a break from the blog this summer, but not from writing.  The book I started two winters ago about my husband's life is now finished, and aside from the original intent of it being a gift for his son, it's time to think about how best to make it available for others who've expressed interest in reading it.  

If Hydrangeas aren't the official flower of Cape Cod, they should be.

This summer's weather treated us well.  Compared to the raging tornados, record heat-waves, flooding and burning infernos across the rest of the country, Cape Cod remained a haven for mild beach days, with the occasional cloudy day to boost sales for the merchants and let the sunburns calm down.   July was an utter delight, August a bit more warm and humid, but never higher than the 80's.  Yes, we are spoiled.

Hibiscus is always the last to bloom, but worth the wait.

Likewise, the gardens did well-enough considering that minimal effort was put into them this year.  The perennials were a spectacular validation of previous years' hard labor, and we had tomatoes and cucumbers enough to share.  The lingonberry seed experiment, sadly only produced one sorry little sprout out of 36 seeds, and after googling images of lingonberry blooms, I'm forced to concede that it's probably a sunflower.  Not that I have anything against sunflowers...I was just hoping to start a new sideline for the lady who makes my beach plum jelly for the B&B.  In fact, we have so many unplanted sunflowers as a result of the many bird feeders, it suddenly dawned on me that I could liberally sprinkle them over the front bank along Route 6 next Spring and perhaps have an effortless floral show.    

Ron in the top hat in back

The B&B keeps us busy enough, but Ron was asked to participate in the Chatham 4th of July parade this year, driving one of our musician friends, who was recovering from hip surgery and couldn't do the long walk.  People with convertibles are very popular during parade seasons.  It was literally a blast, as in lots of trombones.  It prompted me to unearth my son's marching band trombone from the basement to get into the act in next year's parade.  Perhaps by then, I'll learn more than one note.  Meanwhile, we've enjoyed listening to our favorite local musicians in the Karoo's restaurant gardens, while indulging in the spicy South African food.  The Fleetian restaurant, also reopened with an outdoor, live music venue, and there were a couple of Monday night concerts on the Eastham green that enticed us out amongst our neighbors and lucky tourists who wandered by.  If it's summer on Cape Cod, there's music.  

One of this year's new photos

Photography exhibits were a part of my summer again, starting with the Cape Cod Five lobby in June, and following that with the coveted month of July at the Hope Chest again.  Most of my time this summer was devoted to keeping guests happy at the B&B, but my camera's never very far out of reach.  

Seal off of Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, MA

Sharks, you ask?  Well, yes there were occasional sitings, mostly preceded by seals, but nothing on the scale of the seven reported shark bites during one July week on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where my son just happened to be vacationing.  An IT and math major, he reasoned by statistical averages that he'd be fine to swim in the waters.  A big bump against his leg convinced him to come out, at least for a little while.  More and more of the returning sharks are being tagged by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, giving them the ability to monitor and report their locations.  The biggest news off Cape Cod waters that went viral was the short video that captured a white shark jumping out of the water to catch a seal, and missing.  Airborne sharks have been seen off South Africa, but It was the first time anyone had documented one off of Cape waters. 

Click here to see the video:  Airborne Shark Misses Seal  

After years of spirited town meetings and NO-votes for a proposed town water bill, last year, Eastham joined the rest of Cape Cod towns by approving a town water system.  This summer, we finally saw some evidence of the plan as pipes lined the sides of roads, and streets were closed temporarily to start the digging.  A picture of the new water tower under construction graced the Cape Codder, and I saw the first fire hydrant waiting to be installed.  It turned into a contentious town issue for awhile, and even though our property taxes were quietly raised this summer, it's at least nice to have neighbors at peace again. 

There are some places that are such visual landmarks, you would always know exactly where they were if you saw a picture of them out of context.  Just before the Mid-Cape Highway empties into the Orleans-Eastham rotary, there is a pond on the right.  What makes it so memorable is not the electrical wires that stretch from one end to the other of the middle of the pond, but the long line of cormorants that congregate on the wire.  These big, black birds adopted this space as their hangout for as long as I've been here, and probably a lot longer than that, but committees who monitor water quality, a big issue here, have determined that the bird guano is polluting the pond, and they must find a new 'hood, in which to hang.  The town of Orleans decided to throw a lot of money at some consultants to come up with an idea.  Their brilliant solution was, are you ready for this...noise.  Yes, that's right, on three successive nights, explosives were set off to encourage the birds to find a quieter spot for their meetings.  The predictability of this solution made me think for a brief moment about going into the consulting business, which seems like pretty easy money for coming up with simple-minded solutions.  I decided I just couldn't do it and keep a straight face.  As you might have guessed, the birds mostly left after the explosions, but have all returned, now that they got the coast-is-clear notice.  I'm just wondering if that $64,000 included a Plan B.   

Unfortunately, our summer traffic is almost as legendary as the delectable lobster dinners and gorgeous beaches.  This year wasn't any better or worse, from my perspective, although the relaxation CD's I put in my car turned out to be a big help for me.  So did staying home more and saving my galavanting for the more temperate Fall weather and quieter roads.  The rotaries always confound the newbies.  Last years' many meetings of town and state officials to discuss possible safety improvements for summer traffic came up with a center rumble strip through the town of Wellfleet.  It didn't keep us out of a long jam on the way back from The Fleetian one night, caused by an accident, and the ambulances and fire trucks have kept up the usual steady pace on the highway all summer.  There is some news about the traffic light that our neighbors have been requesting for decades at our busy corner.  I recently read that 4 million people visit Cape Cod's National Seashore each year, and our street leads to Fort Hill, the beginning of it.  The latest is that we will get a "pedestrian beacon" by next June.  This would help bikers and pedestrians, but still not cars.  There is still room for improvement in this "safety plan", in my humble opinion.    

But, there's so much worth getting out to see - Fort Hill, Eastham, MA

Although Labor Day is late this year, there has already been an appreciable difference in the amount of traffic at the end of August, as some schools start early.  Grocery checkers at Stop and Shop seem to be more relaxed, as if they've run the marathon and are coming into the post-Labor Day home stretch.  Many of them will be returning to college, or their home countries.  Summer heat is still holding on for beach goers on the last week of high season, but that too will no doubt ease soon and refreshing Autumn weather is welcomed in with a new wave of visitors. Summer guests visited us at Crosswinds B&B Suites from as far away as New Zealand, France, Germany, The Netherlands, China and Canada, and from the states of California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin.  This is a very busy, little sand bar.  

Farewell to Summer 2015 at First Encounter Beach in Eastham

2015 - June - Springing into Summer

Memorial Day Weekend on Cape Cod is a little like bumping into a beehive, only with swarming cars and people instead of bees.  The holiday started on a chilly note, but the sun warmed things up sufficiently for a lot of people to have fun in the water at Coast Guard Beach.  I wasn't one of them, but I treated myself to a beach photo shoot.  I like to think that my camera has replaced bathing suits permanently for me.  I must add that tourists are a lot more enjoyable to watch on the beach than they are on the roads, and when I can get a parking spot, it's a fun destination.

The Stop & Shop parking lot's four month pile of snow has recently been replaced by an equally large pile of mulch in June.  I've gathered up all my relaxation CD's and put them in the car, finding that they take a lot of the angst out of dealing with seasonal traffic.  And, as I waited patiently for my chance to enter the main road, I had a light bulb moment about all the cars passing by with headlights on.  Most year-rounders ignore the signs on the Mid-Cape highway that advise turning on headlights for safety, except at night, of course.  It occurred to me that it's actually a great service to locals on the road, going about their daily chores.  The headlights, that everyone forgets to turn off when they exit at the Orleans rotary, shine like a beacon, exclaiming, "Please be cautious around me, I'm a stranger in your strange land."  In other words, it's a heads-up, if you're paying attention, and I've already witnessed accidents at our rotary.  Opinions are still divided about the new round-about in Orleans.  I think it's looking pretty spiffy, since the road crews finished landscaping the center and marking the lanes.  I like the way that it's turned a busy and confusing 4-way intersection into something that demands you pay attention to the rules, and gives everyone a fair chance.  It certainly has grabbed drivers' scrutiny and deliberation.  But, we knew it wouldn't please everyone, and the first letter to the editor came from a man in Wellfleet, who derided it as a "frisbee-sized carnival ride".  He even went so far as to suggest selling T-shirts that say, "I survived the Orleans Rotary."  You really can't please everyone.          

Pretty, even on a gray day

Irises and alliums have had their premiere in the garden with just about everything else now vying for the spotlight, including beach roses everywhere.  It seems that I have one lingonberry sprout out of 30 seeds, but I'm ever-hopeful for more.   

Return of the Clam Trees to Rock Harbor-from the Cape Codder

Every now and then, we are treated to a new Cape Cod term we haven't heard before.  In a recent Cape Codder, our favorite go-to place for local news, the town of Orleans heralded the return of "Clam Trees".  We know "clams", and we know "trees", but this one stumped us.  The Codder explained that even veteran boat captains get confused with the changing channels in Rock Harbor, and the clam trees mark the deeper waters to aid with navigation.  But, why the name?  The trees are twenty-four foot pines and the signs are attached because they're illuminated when light hits them.  One of the stories about the clams is that in the '70's, quahoggers would drop the less desirable clams at the base of the trees, so when recreational permit holders looked for dinner, they had the best success by the trees.  Year-rounders would tell the summer folk that they fell from the trees, and said you wouldn't believe how many people bought the story.  

This year's new bird at the feeder is a brown-headed cowbird.  He's a handsome guy, don't you think?

And, another newbie at the feeders is this squirrel.  I've seen red ones, black ones, even a white albino one, but this is my first blonde one.

I don't usually notice much about local sports, but as I flipped through that section in our weekly Cape Codder, I got a real surprise this month.  Eastham's Nauset High School team, The Warriors, is getting a new football coach.  [ho, hum.]  That, in itself, still was not cause for note, except there was something very familiar about the man in the large photograph.  Reading on, I was amazed to see the name Mike Sherman.  It had to be a coincidence.  A common name?  But, reading further still, it seems that the former Green Bay Packers coach really is slated to become "an Eastham-ster".  I was a late-comer to football and the Packers were the first team I ever rooted for.  Long story.  Of course, it's the Patriots now, all the way.  And, the Nauset Warriors, of course.  

• HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Mike Sherman introduced as Nauset coach

Former Packers coach, and new Nauset football coach, Mike Sherman. Staff photo by Matt Rice

  As if the July 4th weekend in Provincetown isn't frenetic enough, it's been announced that Hillary Clinton will be making an appearance this year.  Eastham's looking like an even better place to get away from it all, and Dr. Beach confirms it in the Associated Press just-released lineup of the top ten US beaches for 2015.  Our Coast Guard Beach is ranking #7 this year in his list of "gorgeous and legendary beaches in the world".  And, in a fourteen-page spread, Yankee Magazine declares Cape Cod a "National Treasure".  
  

Coast Guard Beach

Cape Cod continues to be our haven, our happy place, our home.  I hope you've enjoyed reading and seeing it from my perspective, as much as I've enjoyed sharing it.  I will be taking a break from writing for awhile to focus on other projects.  It's not a farewell, just a see you later.  Have a wonderful summer, from wherever you're reading this.

2015 - May - The Wild Life

Here we go, again.

It always seems as if fur-lined hoods morph suddenly into sun hats, and the scrape of snowplows transforms into the buzzing of bees in the turn of a day.  The transition is of course more subtle than that, but we're too busy switching gears to notice the fine details.  Suddenly we're taking a break on the back porch glider, admiring the flowers that were under feet of snow, only several weeks ago.  Life is magical and begs us to pay attention.  

If April was all about showers and flowers, May's distinction could easily be wildlife.  Whether the animals are stir-crazy from the snow and ready to kick up their heels, or another more scientific reason, looking out the windows lately has been like the National Geographic channel.  Particularly entertaining in early Spring is the dance of the 'nInja' hummingbirds. as two circle each other near the feeder, and then fly straight up like supersonic jets, and repeat this ritual again and again, until someone, other than us, is sufficiently impressed by these antics.  In addition to birds aplenty and the usual squirrels, chipmunks and raccoons, there are wild turkeys roaming the yard, and if I hadn't seen it for myself, a fox in the birdbath, which crashed and broke on the dismount.  We welcome them all, but this is the fourth time we've had to replace the top on this one. So now, there's also a water dish on the ground for the heavier, four-legged visitors.  Fingers crossed.

Foxy caught in the act

Early tourists are the guinea pigs for the new rotary, nearing completion in Orleans.  Codders are used to the concept of the round-about, but it can get a little dicey with newbies, and we're all hoping for a peaceful transition as out-of-towner's try their wings on it.  The mantra for the return of tourist season, as always, is 'patience', and I'm issuing a summer challenge to let someone go first, at least once a day.  You'll feel really virtuous, and with any luck, they will pay it forward, as well.  Try it, you could start something good.  

No rotaries for the Orioles.
They come directly to where the jelly and oranges are every year. 

Readers of last month's blog may remember "the brilliant lingonberry" experiment.  Well, the seeds arrived, and we should all know by now to never underestimate tiny things.  After all, we see the results packaged in luscious jars of preserves, so they had to start somewhere.  The seeds are the size and color of a flea, and even jumped like them when I tried to pick them up with tweezers to transfer to the wet paper towel that I used to space them in the planter.  Draped with clear plastic to encourage germination and discourage critters, they are next to the raised bed that has been prepared for them, hoping they will sense their grand welcome and be enticed to thrive. 

Coast Guard Beach, Eastham, MA

Sometimes rabble rousing pays off.  After a big kerfuffle last year about the intentions of the National Seashore to raise the rates for visitors, they backed down and left them as they were.  Most visitors this summer won't even be aware while they're wiggling their toes in the sand that locals attended town meetings and wrote letters to the editors to keep our beaches more accessible. 
  

Fishing is something I used to do with my dad when I was little.  It's not something I ever thought about doing any other time, and I didn't even like to eat the fish we brought home.  Sam taught me how to put a worm on a hook, how to stand patiently on a pier with my finger on the line to feel the bite, and the pleasure of spending time with someone in the fresh sea breeze without saying a word.  I do like to eat fish now, but I have no desire to go fishing.  I like to read well-written stories, and our friend, Bruce, has a gift, not only for fishing, but writing about his experiences that are interesting even to a non-fisherman, like me.  He publishes them on his website: 

 www.sportfishingcapecod.com

If you want a taste of real Cape Cod, I encourage you to read some of his stories.  And, if you want to catch a big fish, he's your man.   

http://www.easthamchamber.com/visitors/online-guidebook

The new Eastham Chamber of Commerce Guide Book is out, and it can also be accessed online.  I've been trying to have a photo chosen for the cover for a few years, now.  It still hasn't happened, but I must admit, this year's is really nice, and I don't begrudge the judges at all.  I did manage to more than double the number chosen this year on the inside.   If you get out your magnifying glass, you could find credit for ten of them. It's a little like "Where's Waldo".  Or, if you prefer a bigger format, Cape Cod Five in Orleans featured an exhibit of some of my favorite shots on their entrance wall this month.  It got good feedback and I'm once again grateful to them for allowing me to share them.     

May exhibit at Cape Cod Five in Orleans

With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, the first guests of High Season are Red Sox fans coming from Utah, and the next couple are taking advantage of a holiday gift certificate purchased for them by their sons.  What great kids!  We also had guests this month taking advantage of the pre-season rates who came from Canada, Amsterdam, California, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts.  Hoping for good weather and safe travels for all.  Happy Memorial Day Weekend, and remember to be a mensch on the roads.     

2015 - April - Transition

The first day of April for many people is a day of pranks, or at least being alert for them.    Mike O'Connor, who owns the Bird Watcher's General Store in Orleans and writes the 'Ask the Bird Folks' column in the Cape Codder Weekly, never misses an opportunity to pull a leg, or talon as the case may be.  This year's hoax, entitled Welcome To Native Bird Island, was Mike's answer to "Judy from Centerville" about the Cape's newest nature reserve for birders.   Seriously, you don't have to be a "Birder" to love Mike's store or his column, and it's a recommended stop for all of our guests.  So anyway, Mike wrote... well 
here, you can read it for yourself if you'd like to:    

Click on:  Welcome To Native Bird Island

But for us, April 1st marks our wedding anniversary.  And, that's no joke!  We decided to celebrate this year at our friend's [click for menu] Rock Harbor Grill in Orleans.  We send many guests there and none have come home disappointed.  I highly recommend the lamb pizza and Portabella Burger, and Ron loves the duck sliders and RHG burger, but this time we really splurged and our dinner looked like this:

Grilled Coulotte Steak

Butternut Squash Puree / Crushed Fingerlings / Great Hill Bleu Butter 

Hazelnut Crusted Faroe Island Salmon

Crushed Fingerlings / Sauce Romesco / Broccolini / Basil Oil 

P E R F E C T I O N !

As I anticipated, when the snow stopped falling, the blissful quiet season also ceased abruptly.  With the official start of Spring, reservation inquiries started rolling in, and we decided to make a run for it, ourselves.  We took the P&B bus into Boston for a quick, anniversary getaway.  It's always of interest to us to be on the other side of the hospitality industry as guests, instead of hosts, and to experience different styles of hosting.  Ron chose the lovely, old Buckminster Hotel near the hallowed grounds of our Red Sox's Fenway Park.  It did happen to be baseball's opening night, but for the Sox, it was in Philly, not Fenway.  As we checked in, they casually informed us that they were upgrading our reservation to a suite, for no apparent reason.  It was a little like putting a credit card in a slot machine to play, and hitting a jackpot.  Then, along with the key cards, they gave us a $10 gift card to use at their restaurant.  I could get used to this kind of treatment.  Once settled upstairs, with thoughts turning to dinner, we looked at the many possibilities in the neighborhood, and then looked at the menu downstairs and decided to try it.  From exquisitely comfy lounge chairs, I savored every delicious bite of marinated sirloin steak tips, garlic mashed potatoes and gently sauteed carrots and broccolini, as we viewed the bustle of city life through the big windows.  Ron's steak did not disappoint him, either.  And then, we did what we love to do in cities, we strolled.  Since both of us have previously lived in Boston, it was pleasant just to remember places and recall memories from the past.  A stop at a Starbucks for a decaf mocha latte and a tiramisu latte on the way back was dessert enough.  We only stayed in Boston for two nights, but that was enough to break routine, miss home and experience the kindness of many strangers out in the big world.  And now, it's our pleasure to pay it forward.     
   

Easter Weekend-that's the most people I've seen on Fort Hill since Labor Day.

You can still see where the National Seashore workers mowed the wildflowers last Fall.
In a couple of months they'll be over my head and teaming with wildlife.

Even with dirty snow still in parking lots at the first of the month, April lived up to its reputation for showers and flowers.  The peepers were right on time, providing music from the pond three doors down, loud enough to hear on our porch at night.  The many bird operettas drown them out during the daytime.  Literally every day, there is something new popping its head out of the mulch.  The ME-first snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils, as usual led the way, with hyacinths, tulips and columbine following, their elegant designs gracefully emerging and reaching towards the rain.  The beach roses, lilacs and pussy willows are swelling with life, and that last leaf on the copper beech tree in the front yard finally gave it up to Spring gales.  Orange slices and grape jelly have attracted the first orioles and the hummingbird feeders are full and have already hosted the first ruby throat.  Cushions are back on the porch furniture, inviting one to stop and acknowledge the transformation. Snow shovels and deck salt are once again stowed in the garage.  Mesclun mix and cilantro, basil and parsley seeds are planted in pots on the front porch, and Agway excitedly announced that the first pansies have come in.  The watering can fountain is providing soothing sounds on the porch again, inviting newbies to try to figure out where the water comes from.   And, no one complains about the rainy days, noting "at least I don't have to shovel it."    

Red Wing Blackbird mid-song

Lions & Tigers & Sharks & Whales!

Just kidding about those first two, but two of the questions we get asked about frequently have to do with the proximity of great white sharks and whales.   There is a wonderful online site available to identify tagged great whites, thanks to the dedication of Greg Skomal and his team.  You can access it at http://www.ocearch.org/#SharkTracker, or just click on Great White Shark Tracker.   They seem to be off the coast of North Carolina, this month, but will no doubt, include Cape Cod in their vacation travels, owing to our plentiful and tasty seals.  Ocearch also reports Right Whale Sightings, and, needless to say, if you want to see some, Cape Cod is a great place to try.  This is what I pulled up for this April:

That's Cape Cod underneath the big concentration of whale tails!

More Filming on Cape Cod

Last Fall, it was the big Disney production about the shipwreck of The Pendleton in Chatham, and this month, filming begins in Wellfleet to bring Joan Anderson's popular memoir, A Year By The Sea to the screen.  The book chronicled her retreat on Cape Cod to take time to care for herself after years of caring for others. and it resonated with a large fan base.  She chose to stay in Cape Cod and continued to write five more books since the first was published.   

Another exciting announcement, at least for us, comes from the writer of the short film that Ron was in, running through the snow on Commercial Street in boxers and cowboy boots.  It's a sight the neighbors won't forget.  

Arthur Egeli

I am proud to announce that Misconception will show at the New York City International Film Festival running April 30 to May 7th. Showtimes to be announced. Hope to see you there actors Heather Hayes, Cindy Harrington, Kate Wallace Rogers, Ron Daniels.

April 14th was Ben & Jerry's annual FREE SCOOP DAY at the North Eastham location.  As usual, this was a well attended event with long lines.  6,290 kid-sized cones [usually at a cost of $3.75] were given away and the favorite flavor of the day was "The Tonight Dough", named for Jimmy Fallon, who took over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno.  It boasts a chunky mix of chocolate and caramel ice creams with chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough and a crunchy chocolate cookie swirl.  When it was brought to Judy Tarr's attention [the franchise owner] that people were taking advantage by getting back in line again, she said, "O yeah, maybe three, four times."  But, when asked if something should be said to them, her reply, "No, it's a happy day."  Why do all Ben & Jerry's have an annual free cone day?  "Well, it's our way to celebrate and say thanks for another year of support, and we've kept it up every year since, spreading the peace, love and ice cream around the globe."   The first one was in 1979, celebrating the company's first anniversary. 

Here's some B&J trivia you might not have known:  With a $5 correspondence course in ice cream-making from Penn State and a $12,000 investment, Ben and Jerry opened their first ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1979.  There are now more than 300 shops in 30 countries.  The socially-conscious company gifts 7.5% of the company's annual pre-tax profits to fund community-oriented projects.  It's one of the very few chains allowed in Eastham.    

Garden Time

I've always embraced the philosophy, "work smarter, not harder", but it seems that I have a blind spot when it comes to gardens.  The raised beds Ron designed seemed like such a great idea, with a place to sit on the side while I tended them.  That's easier, right?  Who knew that they would become full of roots that needed to be wrestled out each year to make room for enriched soil and new plants?  I guess I would have if I'd thought that far ahead.  This realization is generating a wicked-brilliant change, which not only supports a less labor-intensive garden, but will hopefully provide Ron's favorite preserves, which we can't find in the stores, anymore.  I've ordered lingonberry seeds to put in the center bed with blooming, evergreen shrubs that give two crops of berries per season.  A Scandinavian favorite, I found that Massachusetts has a comparable growing zone for lingonberries to thrive, if provided an acidic soil.  With as many coffee grounds as we generate, it shouldn't be a problem.  Waste not, want not.    

Oh sure, if I really wanted to keep tabs on when tourist season starts, I could look at a calendar.  But, there are other ways to know these things.  For instance, as I walked to my mailbox, I noticed a car pulled over next to the stairs I use, and the top of a woman's head bobbing at the bottom of the hill.  I decided to be friendly and ask if she needed any help with anything, but as I got closer, the situation became clearer.  Leaning over her toddler, she held him steady, both his arms held high and pants down around his ankles as he relieved himself on the bank.  That's the official beginning of tourist season 2015.    

April brought as wide a variety of guests as the flowers popping up in the gardens.  A couple from Oklahoma combined business with pleasure before heading to the Boston Marathon as one of their vendors.  Another couple enjoyed a weekend in the Cottage, courtesy of a gift certificate from one of our former guests.  Couples from upstate New York and Boston came the following weekend, both with quiet, walking-in-nature getaways in mind.  We hosted a couple from New Hampshire the following week for a birthday surprise weekend.  And, the biggest surprise was on me from a San Francisco friend I haven't seen in a few decades.  Cheers, and happy Spring!

What happened to the snow?