2018 May - The Month of Firsts

It's garden time!

Lillian 'Lilja' Rogers [1901-1993] is an often quoted, but little known New England poet and writer.  Although the following poem is more suited to the month of March, I think it brilliantly sums up our Spring season:

Hocus Pocus, by Lilja Rogers

First a howling blizzard woke us,

Then the rain came down to soak us,

And now before the eye can focus - 

Crocus. 

May generates many firsts of the year: 

• The first sitings of colorful returning bird species
• The sound of lawn mowers droning and the smell of fresh cut grass
• Restaurants and stores vying for attention as they reopen for the season
• The greening of trees that survived the Nor'easters and the bright blooms of perennials now that it's safe to re-emerge
• The return of Atlantic Right Whales along the Cape Cod coastline

And, speaking of whales, in order to focus on the plight of the diminishing numbers of North Atlantic Right Whales, the Provincetown Public Library joined New Bedford, New York City and Mystic, Connecticut in hosting an annual "Moby-Dick" marathon.  Volunteers, including local teachers, elected officials and local actors from the group Sailors Beware took turns reading aloud and acting out 135 chapters.  Ron was recruited to bellow out his best sailor-speak while playing the part of Ahab beneath the half-scale replica of the Rose Dorothea, in this beautiful old building.

   

The Rose Dorothea in the Provincetown Library

The Cape Cod Commission estimates that 5.23 million tourists visit Cape Cod each year, and nearly 65% of them come in the summer and early Fall.  I don't have enough fingers and toes to figure that number out, but I can tell you that the good news is that repairs on the Sagamore Bridge, which backed traffic up for miles this Spring on both sides of the Cape Cod Canal finished early.  And, with Memorial Day knocking, here's another tidbit from the Commission that could prove useful to know:  

BEST TIMES TO DRIVE TO CAPE COD:  
Sunday through Thursday, anytime, or Friday before 2 p.m. or after 9 p.m.

AVOID ARRIVING:  Friday, between 2-9 p.m. or Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

BEST TIMES TO DRIVE OFF OF CAPE COD:  Monday through Friday 
[except for a Monday holiday] between 2-9 p.m. and Saturday after 2 p.m. 

AVOID LEAVING:  Sunday [or a Monday holiday] between 1-9 p.m.

The traffic is slightly better if you're actually in the canal, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reporting that there were an estimated 20,000 vessels that went through in 2017.  

As we humans spruce up the wear and tear from winter and get ready for tourist season, May is also a very busy time for the critters and there's a lot of fancy cavorting going on to establish territory, attract good mates and ensure the continuation of their species.  Our bird feeders and bird baths are popular hangouts, but you don't have to be a bird to appreciate them.

I learned that raccoons climb trees this year.

While picking up a few last minute items at the store for our incoming Memorial Day Weekend guests, I overheard a couple of women rolling by with their cart proclaiming in loud voices that were meant to be overheard that "the rude season" had started.   While I've been aware that the volume of out-of-state licenses have been steadily increasing over the month, it seems a shame to enter a fresh new season with such low expectations.  I usually get at least to the beginning of July before I despair of all manners having become passe and resort to my relaxation tapes in the car.  So, when that moment comes, the one when I'm about to give up all hope in basic humanity, I hereby resolve to remember what our late friend, Ray, used to do.  He'd strike up conversations with people who were obviously here on vacation.  In five minutes, or less, he'd know where they were from, what they liked to do, give them some helpful suggestions and leave them smiling.  This will be our first whole summer here without him, but I think he'd like it if we could all do that a little more.  I'm going to work on that, Ray.

               

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!