We have arrived in Brewster for the week. Keep checking back for new photos and other adventures I may be taking!
Off to the Beach!
Category: Memories
Sandals
Some of the best memories are made in flip flops.
Wait for the Right Moment
Don’t be the sand in my shoe, when you can be the love in my heart.
The story behind the photo: Another sunset night at Rock Harbor, probably one of my favorite places on the Cape. This particular moment was low tide and as you can see, it’s pretty flat out there, you’ll be walking out there for quite a ways before you’ll get to some deeper water. You can see some interesting colored sunsets there depending on the weather conditions. On this particular evening, there was a somewhat purple tint and not a cloud in the sky.
More later…
New Life
Ok, there’s something moving underneath the fur where that bunny starting placing a nest in the flowerpot on the deck! More discovery to come!
Return of the Ospreys
The story behind the photo: I really like this one. Reminds me I need to get back into birding more. Anyways, we had taken a boat cruise around the harbor in one of the Cape towns last year, I think it might have been in Dennis or somewhere around there. And we just happened to pass by this osprey nest. Thankfully I had the foresight to bring my complement of lenses so I switched to one where I could get a closer shot of them. I actually have a bunch of different shots from this but I felt this was one of the better ones. I remember having to try to brace myself as the boat kept wobbling over the waves. I assume they were waiting for their parent although they looked like they were just about ready to head out on their own. The fact that their eyes are still brown rather than yellow also signifies them as juveniles. I like how the two on the right appear to looking directly at me.
They would also leave the nest every so often, maybe just getting the feel of flight. This guy up above decided to perch right next to this gull, who doesn’t seem that concerned, although I think I might be if I were him. They do prefer to eat fish rather than birds but if it got hungry enough…
Swimming in Buzzards Bay
Thanks to the Guidebook of Cape Cod for featuring one of my photos!
I am one hurting puppy today. Spent the day down in Fairhaven again at the Ladydoc’s friend’s beach house. We swam in the bay – it was somewhat choppy today – the waves actually seemed pretty tall at some points, but it’s so much fun to jump over the waves – plus since it’s a private area nobody else was there – it was pretty amazing. There are rocks there toward the shore though so you have to be careful at high tide. I did scrape my legs a little bit, the front of my left knee, and the back of my right knee, but not really all that bad. Hard to believe we were out there for an hour and a half! After we came in we saw that two guys in a canoe had capsized so everyone got help and called the authorities but they were alright. Really not the place for a canoe. A lot of folks kayak there, which seems a more appropriate vessel, especially for the way the wind was churning up the waves today. Hopefully a lesson was learned. It’s usually pretty calm but I guess the remnants of Fay passing through might have stirred it up a bit more than usual. Then I dried in the sun, and now I feel like a tired potato. Really spent, but feels good in way. Plus it’s much cooler and more bearable there then up here in the heat of the valley where temperatures reached 90 degrees.
We also spent a little time visiting a shop there that sells these Adirondack chairs, really nice ones, made out of composite. Bit on the expensive side, but they last forever. Seems to be in these days with everyone being home now I guess.
Eastham Love
Allow me to be a “Promo Ho” for a sec: I got a lot of love on the Eastham shot on the Cape Cod Photographers group, so I decided to add the high resolution version of it to my shop for purchase if anyone’s interested. Also, jigsaw puzzles of my work will be coming soon, which I think is a really cool idea! Check out this particular product here: Eastham Love! And stay tuned for the jigsaw puzzle versions!
Yesterday I forgot to mention that a transformer blew on the street, so we and the neighbors were all without power for a bit. We all streamed out of our houses asking if we all had the same experience, since everyone is home these days. We even got to talk to the neighbor that never has spoken to us in 3 years! She finally introduced herself to us and as we were talking, maybe she’s not such a bad egg after all.
This morning was spent hanging at the car mechanic’s shop getting an oil change and inspection sticker. Mine was up in May but due to the pandemic we all got a few months extra so I figured I’d get it done now. No sweat. I also noticed this morning that our Balloon Flowers (Platycodon grandiflorus) are starting to bloom now! Yay! Pretty cool how they “balloon” out, hence the name.
I finally beat all 30 levels from Slimoban – the game I mentioned a few days ago – really good game! Oh! We’re going to try out a drive-in tonight, one of those pop-up locations. Should be an experience! I’ll update as to how it went later! Update: The drive-in was fun! Saw E.T. Ahhh, memories. I remember my first drive experience must have been when I was about 10 – the original Freaky Friday was the movie, down at what is now the Meadow Glen in Medford.
Sunset Serendipity
“Sunsets are always better shared.”
The story behind the photo: This happened to be one of the last shots I took on the night this was taken at Rock Harbor in Orleans. I actually have a bunch of various scenes from this area on this particular night, but as the sun was setting and it was getting close to be getting time to go, I kept watching this couple in a rowboat go around the bay a couple of times. Finally I saw that they positioned their boat in order to take in some sunset scenery and so I decided to take a picture of that. It was a spectacular night for a sunset too. Complete serendipity as to how this one all turned out!
Throwback Truro Thursday
I’m working on different things that I want to see on the Cape this year, so I’m taking notes on different things. I think this time around, besides the usual sunset and lighthouse shots (see above) and wildlife when I can get it (which is a given), I’m thinking some trails and hikes and maybe around some of the kettle ponds. Since this year has to be different, maybe it’s a good time to discover some new things that I wouldn’t normally see while there. If anyone has any good places of note regarding my search on this – leave me a comment!
More later…
The Plot Thickens
The story behind the photo: As sunset was approaching, we were driving around Eastham looking for some other viewing places of the bay that were less crowded and came upon some residential area, driving down some quiet local roads. Reaching the end of one of the terminals we encountered this location. So I got out and snapped a few and there it is. It was nice that nobody happened to be there at this particular time. I remember how quiet it was. Perhaps folks who live here were having dinner in their homes at the time. I think we’ll try to get back to this location again.
It would appear that this rabbit that keeps coming on the deck may have something on her mind rather than just checking out what plants are up there. When I look into the dianthus pot there appears to a dug hole. Cut to this morning and I noticed the hold had some fur placed in it. Cut to a few hours later today and now I notice some twigs on top of the fur. Could this bunny actually think about putting some little bunnies in there? Hell of a place for such a thing, with us coming in and out all the time. Still, I am curious to see how this pans out – maybe it’ll be nothing, perhaps a decoy nest possibly – but what if it becomes something?
Today’s movie watch is Doctor Sleep – the sequel to The Shining. I don’t feel it was good as the Shining (but how could it be). Totally different – more like a bunch of vampires type of movie. Not bad in the least, just different and that’s how you have to view it I feel. If you think it’s going to be like The Shining you’ll be disappointed. I especially liked the scene in the Overlook where Dan meets his father who is now the bartender and the conversation that ensues (they couldn’t get Jack apparently so they tried to do it with a sort of lookalike which was cheesy to me), but overall it’s just a different kind of film. Not what I was expecting.
The hummingbird came by again! But once again, only stayed for a second so I couldn’t observe it in detail in time. It’s so weird seeing this thing, the way it moves, hover and fly sort of robotically – up, down, side to side, that it takes time for my mind to process what the hell it is. And by the time you figure it out, it takes off.
Visiting Squantum
Decided to go to a different place to take a walk this afternoon. Wanted to chose a place that wasn’t too far yet near some water – decided on Squantum Point in Quincy. I had never been there. So we went and walked to the point, the end of the peninsula, which stands across the bay from the historic gas tank. We then took a side trip to the Carson Beach area in Southie but it was pretty busy – more like just to see what things looked like. Ended the afternoon with some takeout from the Inn at Bay Point. Yum!!
July 5, 2020
“I think, sir, they have some such mild blue days, even as this, in Nantucket.”
― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, the Whale
The photos I have from Nantucket, from the only time I’ve ever visited the island, are mostly from the Whaling museum and their collection of scrimshaw. (I was big into whaling at the time). This pic above though I believe was taken from the ferry just before we got off to land. Whenever I revisit again I’d like to take more of the streetscapes and such. Someday.
July 4, 2020
Not the usual July 4th for sure, but lately everyday is more or less the same now – kinda sucks but such is life these days. Plus with the way things are right now it’s hard to celebrate America, but I suppose we will try.
My morning started by watching 2 finches learning to fly while pecking at some salvia on the patio. One of them would also try to land on a salvia branch but it couldn’t support it’s weight and would just land on the ground time and again.
Game time: Lonely Cube – good isometric puzzle game I’ve been playing lately. I’m currently stuck on level 7-8! Argh!
I found some pics I took when we visited Nantucket back in 2010 (!) but I wish I had taken more back then – I’m not satisfied with what I got, so in the future someday I would like to re-visit the island, just a day trip, to get some more sights captured.
Had the old landlords over for a socially distanced BBQ this afternoon. Good times!
Hike and a Return Visitor
Today – woke up late changing plans for the day somewhat. Took a drive over to Winslow to drop off some food for the animals, had intention to pick up a “grill box” that a restaurant is doing a few towns over from there. They put it all together and you place and cook it on your own backyard grill. Unfortunately we discovered too late in time to order so it’ll have to wait for another time to try it out. Instead went for a 1.5 mile hike through one of the town’s trails.
Lily pads 
pond vegetation 
flowers in the water 
Cedar Waxwing 
Some butterfly 
Berries!
Looks like that bunny is coming around again! Carson just watches!
Carson watches 
Seems to like Dianthus leaves!
Tonight’s movie watch was Can’t Buy Me Love from 1987 starring Patrick Dempsey. I was saddened to learn that the lead actress in the film had died about 5 years ago from a drug overdose. I really liked her character in the film – I know the role is not the person, but still, it saddened me.
Sailing into the 4th
TBT
Water is the most expressive element in nature. It responds to every mood from tranquility to turbulence.
Spent some time in blow up pool this afternoon – not too bad on a hot day. One thing about the pool yesterday – in order to blow it up I searched Youtube to see how it could be done without a proper air pump. Come to find out, the leaf blower actually does the trick!
Hummingbird
The most exciting thing that happened today was that a hummingbird finally showed up. Didn’t stay long, just long enough for us to notice. Perhaps my plantings and such are making them visit!
Rain on my Parade
“The voice of a single raindrop will always make a splash when it has something to say.”
Today is a day where I spent some time just sitting and looking at the garden and being all zen. I also bought a new hose and some other things, as the previous one starting leaking at the spigot and it got annoying. I went all out with this though – contractor strength connection! No more leaks hopefully forever! I also bought a couple more plants and planted them under the hummingbird feeder as I thought it was a little bare there and these plants’ blooms should also attract them as well.
Not sure what was going on here. Carson was watching this rabbit come on the deck (again!) and the bunny just watched Carson. They had a stare down for a good minute or two. Carson has now made ‘friends’ with this bunny, a finch, and possibly a chipmunk as of this afternoon.
Going to try something different tonight and grill a pizza out on the grill tonight. Check back to see how it came out. Also RIP Angel the cat, it’s been three years since you’ve been gone now – forever in our hearts.
Update: The pizza didn’t turn out so great. Oh well. Back to the drawing board on that one.
Mother Seal
Went down to Earth-1 today. While I was there there was another downpour, whereby the neighborhood lost power for about an hour and a half, and then the hot water heater pilot went out. But everything’s good now.
I edited my photo of seal mama and baby to give it a different kind of look from the original. Made the greens and blues a little more pronounced.
Be Like Water…
Today ended up being a pretty fun day. Once again got to hang down at the friends beach house and we all went into Buzzards Bay and enjoyed being in the water. I was a little averse at first but LD convinced me and I’m glad she did! We must have been in there for an hour and a half! Plus it was just the three of us – we had the beach to ourselves. That is living! I also had the foresight to bring my binoculars this time and got some birding in as well. I saw an osprey hover and dive a few times into the water hoping to get a fish, but it kept coming up empty mouthed, We never expect to be there more than a couple of hours, but the end of it all it’s been over 6 hours! Really grateful for the invitation to hang out there always.
Coming home, we heard that the basement might be flooded due to torrential rainstorms. Not good, as we were told the street was flooded. Luckily the neighbor helped clear the storm drains which saved us. The basement was dry. Sun room got a little wet though because we had left the windows open, but things could have been a whole lot worse than it was. Lucked out! Saw on the news the hospital flooded!
In other news I get the feeling like I’m at a weird time in my life right now, not sure what’s right, what path should I follow. Afraid of different things and have moments where I lack confidence in myself. It’s hard to have to start over again. Suppose it’s natural to a degree. It’ll all work out in time, least that’s what I tell myself.
The Cabin by the Lake
I can remember as a kid staying in New Hampshire one week by a lake for a vacation with my family. The memory is blurry and I don’t remember why or how we stayed there, but I do remember walking off a dock and falling into the water and scaring myself half to death over it. Luckily I was able to make it back to shore by myself. I had totally forgotten all about that memory until right now. I wonder if that’s partly why I am somewhat averse to going into the water a lot of times, plus I can’t swim. Never learned, never had the desire to. I must have been around 8 years old? Anyways all I can seem to remember is the lake and the sand and the dock.
Guess all that work I’ve been doing to maintain these gardens is paying off – just look at these gorgeous blooms I’ve been waking up to in the morning.
Grace
Here we have Grace (an eastern cottontail rabbit that’s been hanging around – LD named her, I think it’s a her anyway) getting ready to eat some clover flowers. This particular bunny (a youngster we believe) spends all day in the yard and seems rather friendly and not so scared of people, as long as they don’t get too too close.
I placed the hummingbird feeder back out which had been gathering dust for a year or two now. I also moved it from it’s previous location. It was closer to the patio but I’ve now moved it into the back garden area where it’s more “secluded” and surrounded by natural nectar producing plants. I did this to make them feel safer and should provide me with a better view of actually seeing them. I remember earlier in the year just sitting on the back deck and this thing hovered in front of me with a buzzing sound. It took me a moment to register that it was a hummingbird in front of me! Of course, by the time I realized that, it took off – but it is pretty wild how they fly and hover and move in such varied ways, for a bird. So hopefully, I’ll get to see some more often.
Rando thoughts: Found an old copy of my Watchmen graphic novel from the ’80s. Think I’ll reread that. Setting up a new microwave. Got a simple outdoor inflatable pool yesterday, probably set that up this weekend. Still working on assembling the sideboard – it’s more complicated than I thought, with it’s Ikea-like directions and many parts. Hitting Home Depot to get a new hose and maybe some grilling accouterments, Speaking of grilling, I grilled last night and we ate by the firepit – I’ve become rather adept at it now – I actually prefer the hickory smell rather than the actual fire itself, although there is something meditative about just watching it burn – plus the smoke keeps the bugs away.
I spent the afternoon mowing the lawns, I like to keep it looking pretty, or at least, neat. Went to Volante’s this afternoon and ended up picking up a dwarf rose of sharon and a foxglove, which I planted in the patio area. Then hit another place down the road for a couple of hanging plants also for the patio area. Holy shit, gardening is a lot of work!
Tonight’s movie watch was Crash. Interesting flick – lots of well known actors too.
Early Lily
How pleased was I to see this first fire lily be open! I take another shot once more have opened but this is the first one. You can sort of see the hydrangeas and roses and clematis vine (can you spot it?) that surround it.
We were admiring a neighbor’s garden on our midday walk around the neighborhood, and so we got to talking and he gave us some great pointers about plants and the various critters and a little about himself. One thing about these quarantine days is we’ve really gotten to know the folks who live on the street in a way that we never have before. Very cool.
Container Gardens
“It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson
The petunias are in full bloom, the various species of Dahlia are starting to bud and bloom, tomatoes are starting to form on their vines, zucchini and eggplant are forming and everything else is so far so good. The clematis vine is crawling all over the hydrangeas, which is kinda cool looking and the various pots out front and full of different flowers all in bloom as well. I deadheaded some of the dianthus so that new blooms will form. I also picked up a new Celosia today with yellow, red and purple blooms. Someday I may try my hand at growing wisteria to cover the front fences – I bet that would look pretty cool but for now I want to go out later and get a new Hibiscus to replace the dead one out back. The Rose Campions have really started to spread themselves, one is even in the lawn out back which I left alone to see how it’d fare (it’s in bloom now too). LD doesn’t like them but I think they’re cool and I like how the spread and make more of themselves. They almost look florescent to me with their reds against the light green of their stems. Makes me think to get some more or something similar to take up any bare areas out back and to cut out the weeds from getting some space. I cut back all the spent blooms from the butterfly bush out front – hopefully it’ll have all new blooms in a few. The various lilies are starting to bud – the fire lilies always looks spectacular and I can’t wait for them to open, but the star gazers on the patio and the old regular lilies in the back are also getting ready to pop. The pumpkin and butternut squashes so far are still growing their leaves out. The salvia are keeping the bees busy with pollinating tasks.