Nobska Light, Cape Cod

Nobska Light, Cape Cod, originally uploaded by abaesel.

For several years we visited with friends each July in Falmouth, Cape Cod. This is a photo of the lovely Nobska Light near Woods Hole. That is Jerry reading and soaking up the sun and seabreeze. (2007)

Nobska Light, Cape Cod

Nobska Light, Cape Cod, originally uploaded by abaesel.

For several years we visited with friends each July in Falmouth, Cape Cod. This is a photo of the lovely Nobska Light near Woods Hole. That is Jerry reading and soaking up the sun and seabreeze. (2007)

The Falmouth Frog

Cape Cod Frog (Falmouth), originally uploaded by abaesel.

We are missing Cape Cod this summer. Enjoyed a summer visit several years in a row to stay with friends in a lovely blue clapboard house on Elm in Falmouth. There was a big shady pond in the backyard filled with these fat little guys (on and off the lily pads). At night they created a symphony of ribbetts that sounded like slack stringed banjos.

Eating, Walking, Snapping (pictures) and Shopping

Shucker's - "World Famous Raw Bar" - Woods Hole, Cape Cod, MA

A delightful casual spot on Eel Pond in Wood's Hole with covered patio dining and a casual bar. We had a great meal. I had GREAT steamers with a fabulous herbed broth. Jerry had the "italian" Mussels which he liked (although they were only warm not hot). Peg was craving MEAT...as she said "after 5 weeks of fish" and had a wonderful burger. Jeff enjoyed his cioppino and Em liked her scrod. The corn on the cod was REAL... freshly prepared corn on the cob...not the soft mushy steamed corn that you get so many places. It was sweet and firm. The cherrystones appetizer was fresh, fresh, fresh...very tasty.

Late Afternoon in Quissett Harbor

Wednesday afternoon Peg, Jeff and Em went for a sail in Peg and Jeff's Herreshoff S-Class Sail Boat. The Aeolus was built in 1932 and 1997 - 2000 by Doug Cooper in Sippowissett on Cape Cod. Peg and Jeff bought Aeolus in 2006 and sail her when they come to Cape Cod every summer. She is moored in Quissett Harbor. While they went sailing, Jerry and I walked around the very pretty harbor and took the trail out to "The Knob" which is a small rocky knoll at the end of the spit of land that forms one side of the entrance to the Harbor. I took my cameras and we took pictures of Aeolus as she sailed out of the harbor and out in Buzzard's Bay. I'll post a couple of pictures here...the complete set is at my flckr site: www.flickr.com/photos/abaesels/.

Girls Outing in Falmouth

Peg and I took a couple of hours and went into Falmouth for some girl time. Went and had manicures at 10 Perfect Nails on Main Street. Then we popped into The Black Dog to check out their "summer day" sale and walked across the street to Rosie Cheeks a wonderful boutique which has beautiful and unusual clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Beautiful fibers and fabrics. Then we popped down to Falmouth Harbor area and visited one of Peg's favorite needlepoint stores.

Monday on the Cape

Sounds of Summer on the Cape Cod

Took a late afternoon nap with a gentle breeze coming in the window of the bedroom. Outside I could hear the insistent chirp of a cardinal, the raspy "meow" of a catbird, and the piercing cries of young osprey demanding parental attention from the nest down on the nearby trail.

Out to Osterville.

Took a drive out to Osterville. We took a long walk down to the marina and adjacent neighborhoods admiring fine clapboard houses. Ate lunch at Keeper's a small marina restaurant offering a great lobster salad...a pile of lobster on top of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mandarin oranges, and those chinese wonton noodle thingies.

Stopped at the historic Bay View Cemetary in Waquoit. A lot of husbands outlived several wives in these area in the late 1800s early 1900s.

2 Covered Bridges and 5 States in One DAy

Kent Land Trust Silo and Barn

Slow Bend in the Housatonic River

Villanova to Falmouth, Cape Cod, MA - Saturday, July 26th

We took a "back route" from Villanova to Cape Cod designed to see someplace new and to avoid early afternoon Saturday traffic onto Cape Cod (Saturday being the "changeover" day for weekly renters). Leaving early enough (7am) to avoid traffic on the Jersey Turnpike headed to the Jersey Shore, we drove up the Garden State Parkway to the 287 East and then up the lovely windy and green Saw Mill Parkway to the 84. At Danbury Connecticut we headed north off the interstates up into the Litchfield Hills. Took a picturesque scenic drive along the Housatonic River. Stopped at the Kent Trust Farm for fresh organic produce (where Jerry said the market workers "talked really softly...like they didn't want to disturb the produce".) The Kent Trust Farm is located on a quiet spot of the Houstonic River with hills rising on the west and the valley bottom spreading out on the east.


In close proximity to one another, there are two lovely and historic covered bridges over the Housatonic (one short, one long...both drivable). One is located at Bulls Bridge and one at Cornwall. There isn't much a town in Bulls Bridge...but little Cornwall is quite pretty sitting on the banks of the River with several cafes, a bustling Saturday market, and lots of white clapboard houses. The river was up and running very fast following several days of heavy rain earlier in the week.

We wound our way across northern Connecticut to the 84 north up to the Mass Turnpike (90) headed east where we hit the only two traffic jams of the day...BOTH at the toll booths. First...why the heck don't more people have ezpasses????? IT only costs 5 bucks for the transponder and about 25 to "load" the account. Second...what is with the almost non existent and confusing signage directing those of us smart enough to HAVE Ezpasses to where the EXpass lanes are? At the 84/Mass Turnpike tollbooths the whole traffic jam was because of people trying to move across 5 lanes of traffic (either because they didn't have a pass and were in a pass only lane or because they DID have a pass and were in a Cash only lane)...geeesh!

Took the 495 headed out to Cape Cod and after a quick stop at the BJs in Franklin , we arrived in Falmouth around 5pm where it was sunny, warm, and not a little humid. The house at Elm Street that Peg and Jeff rent each July was a cheery sight full of good friends: Peg and Jeff, Nancy and Steve, Moe, Cindi and AJ. Had a great dinner prepared by Steven and Nancy enjoying once again good food and friends in the big kitchen table in the house on Elm.

So 5 states later...at the end of the day jerry and I retired for the night with a breeze coming in through the windows.


Sunday the 27th at the Cape.

Woke early thanks to forgetting to turn off my alarm set for 5:45 AM. But enjoyed soaking and dozing in the sheets until nearly 8. Listening to the world slowly rise outside...an early morning rain...friends in the kitchen. The need for coffee finally forced me out of bed.

Walked 3 miles down to Surf Drive walk. An osprey couple have a nest with chicks on a pole near where Elm crosses the bike/walking path. The chicks were noisily proclaiming their hunger and yelling for their parents when we passed by on our way out. Mom (or Dad...can't tell with osprey) was "on duty" at the nest when we returned. There was a nice breeze that cut down the humidity a bit...partly cloudy...busy "traffic" on the path...swans on the far side of the pond...goldfinch whizzing by across the path into the marsh flowers...and the hydrangeas....I love the hydrangeas this time of year here.

Part of the walking/biking path between Falmouth and Woods Hole

Osprey chick (on left) and parent in nest along Woods Hole/Falmouth bike/walking trail.

Lunch was at Coonamessett Farms in East Falmouth at 277 Hatchville Road. It is a "membership" organic farm where you can pay 40 bucks a year (for a family of 4) to have the right to come and pick (and pay_ for fruits, vegetables, berries, and flowers from farm (eggs too). They have about 10 acres of well tended fields. It's quite lovely. They have a small cafe with a deck that overlooks the farm. We ate lunch there...salads, chilie, quiche, sandwiches etc. Quite nice.

Jerry and I went into Falmouth for a quick stroll on Main STreet. Made the obligatory stop at Black Dog store....buying my favorite socks and a nice t-shirt. Treated myself to my first post-operation ice cream cone at the ice cream shop on Main (black raspberry...yum).

Home to watch the Philadelphia Soul beat the San Jose Sabre Cats in the Arena Bowl for the National Championship. Then a little reading, and a nap before it was time to eat again at Landfall in Woods Hole. We had thunderstorms and rain for about 4 or 5 hours....it's really cooled off now...humidity gone...at least for tonight.