The last couple of days at Cape Cod we just chilled. After jumping off the wooden bridge a couple of times at high tide, walking along the sand picking up remnants of shells, eating until we almost burst, stopping off for that great purple blackberry ice cream, eating fresh baked goods every chance we had, it was finally time to just sit on the beach on a cool day to relax.
I met a couple of kids on the pier fishing with their dad. Max was very proud of his fish and showed what a great job he did casting out. His sister Olivia told me a great tale about the one that got away.
We ate cod sandwiches at Macs Seafood at the picnic tables overlooking the bay. There had intermittent wifi so I could post a couple notes on facebook. Not really enough time to upload photos. The baby liked when I took her for a walk in the stroller around the pier.
Friday Stan and I ventured back toward Provincetown (P-Town)and stopped in Turo at the Highland lighthouse. The Lighthouse was moved about 500 or more feet inland from its original location where it was built in 1857 as erosion had tranfigured the shoreline. The lighthouse was moved in two parts; the tower and connecting small buildings and then the house. It was charming. There is just a peaceful overlook at the edge of the cliffs.
Everything at Cape Cod is pretty close to each other, however there are dense pine forests on each side of the road so things are hidden from view. We stopped at the visitor center at the National Park to look around and view a movie about Marconi, who sent the first wireless telegram to England in the early 1900's. We have this great opportunity with wifi over the internet connections due to the advances he made. Thanks Marconi.
Up the street from the National Park center is Race beach. It was such as short walk to the beach through weathered snow/sand drift fences. A storm was expected later in the afternoon so the beach was sparsely populated with people today. Hardly anyone was playing in the ocean. It looked like the shore sloped off pretty severely and it was chilly. We just sat, watched, enjoyed the sunshine and the sound of crashing waves.
Off to P-town (Provincetown) for an extra helping of local color. Every other person is holding hands and enjoying the shops and food. Did I mention that every other person was gay or lesbian. We stopped to watch some street performers and pick up some delicious sandwiches and the best coconut cupcake I've ever tasted.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Anya at Cape Cod August 22 to 29, 2009
We had a good time visiting Anya and her mommy and daddy in Cape Cod this week.
Here are some photos of her:
Here are some photos of her:
Thursday, August 27, 2009
August 27, 2009 Cape Cod Thursday
Having a great time in Cape Cod. We went down to the Lighthouse beach. Even though I had my National Park pass to get us in for free, there was a long line. Stan took his boggy board, towel and off he went down to the beach for some fun while I waited in line and read my book in the car. We were about 8th in line. As the parking lot was full of early beach goers that probably were in for the long haul it took a while. Stan was finished and we were back in our car in time to go out to lunch on the beach at Macseafood where they have an internet connection.
I was still 3rd in line by that time. Somehow I lost the half read book I was reading in John's car. It's probably still unter the seat. Too much to do to really get into reading.
I was still 3rd in line by that time. Somehow I lost the half read book I was reading in John's car. It's probably still unter the seat. Too much to do to really get into reading.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
August 25, 2009 Cape Cod Lieutenant Island
August 25, 2009 Tuesday at Cape Cod Lieutenant Island
We took a ride to the town of Well Fleet to check out the fishing off the pier. Not much action except the few small ones caught by Max, age 9 and the story about the one that got away from Olivia, age 12.
The walk up to Macs Seafood fish house had great fresh lemonade shakes and root beer floats. Topping on the cake was free wifi and public picnic tables with a view of the ocean. Even with an umbrella the sun was so bright you could barely see the computer screen. John was sending a message on facebook while I was reading it across the picnic table. Interesting. I could just reach over and talk to him in person. What has this social networking come to?
About four in the afternoon at high tide we drove down toward the wooden bridge that separates Lieutenant Island from the main land. This includes the little 10 month old baby in her new blue check bathing suit. We waded (John carried Anya of course) about 3 football fields in length on the asphalt road bed to the wooden bridge in calf high tide water. At the bridge kids and some parents were jumping off into the 8 – 10 feet of tidal water. Rachel held Anya and walked into the grassy area along the edge of the bridge, put her into a rubber ducky where her legs hung through the slots. Anya just loved this experience. A real water baby.
By this time John and Stan and jumped into the water several time. Families of five were holding hands, counting to three, and then jumping off the bridge into the water together. Finally, I took the leap myself. The water was warm as bath water. I swam to the edge of the bridge and climbed right out. Fun for an afternoon.
Dinner tonight for a couple of us was bean / veggie burritos. We shared the extras with anyone who wanted them. The Chinese people are eating this gourmet home cooked Chinese food by the plates full night after night. I feel like a real vacation slacker. I tried their spring egg rolls - to die for. John cracked opened a bunch of those slurrpy oysters again and they were all downed in a flash. Bar-B Q ribs, fresh salad and vegetable kabobs for the Chinese. Yes – I’m the cooking slacker at this fair.
August 26, 2009 Wednesday
I didn’t try the Chinese cakes that Ky (Connor’s grandmother) made until breakfast time. When she was making them I remarked that I could read part of the recipe; 1 teasp vanilla, 1 ½ cups of flour-and so forth, but the directions were foreign to me as they were in Chinese. One of the cakes was made in a flat pan was layered with caramelized walnut halves. It was similar to the texture of flan, but more dense and chewy. Ky said is was a New Years cake that they served during the new year. It is very interesting to share a slice of their culture.
Fulong and Ky (grandparents to Connor) traveled from Chicago where he is a famous research scientist with the University of Illinois as is she. They are first generation immigrants and have been here about 20 years. It was hard to leave their country and family, but they both have important positions that will make a difference in all our lives from their research. Chen, their daughter and mother of Connor, also immigrated when she was about 10 or so. So immersion with both cultures and languages has been a part of her life. Chen completed her education at MIT and Harvard med school.
Today is guy’s day out so they all went across the wooden bridge to hit some golf balls. Stan tried out the batting cage and was still able to hit some thrown by machine like overhand pitch with a softball.
Rachel and I went with the baby to pick up some groceries and stop by the Snow library for a wifi fix in the town of Orleans just a few miles down the road.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Cape Cod August 26, 2009
August 25, 2009 Tuesday
Monday, August 24, 2009 we took a walk down to the shoreline in the morning after the mild winds and intermittent rain from hurricane Bill blew offshore about 300 miles away to find an array of crustations and various types of seaweed dotting the landscape. A walk through the bay’s damp floor was a delight. Some of the patterns that the sea grasses left in the sand were amazing. One was bright fresh spring green that looked like lettuce leaves ready to be picked. A man in rubber boots was filling a plastic laundry basket with Oyster shells from today’s gathering.
There is no wifi (internet) connection available in this remote island toward the end of Cape Cod so we ventured back a few miles through a couple of towns to Orleans where you can buy a boat load of groceries at the Stop and Shop. We stopped and asked for the library which turned out to be within a half a mile or so. Snow library was silently delightful with a strong free wifi internet connection. A quick note on facebook and then off to the beach.
John, Rachel and Anya had scurried to Nauset Light Beach for an afternoon in the sun with the backdrop of crushing waves. We stopped off at the National Parks visitor’s center where Stan bought me my own senior parks pass as he had left his at home. It works throughout the country for free admittance to any National Park.
By that time the sun was blazing hot and John had already headed back. We walked down part of the staircase and stopped to enjoy the view from the landing. The waves crashed against the shore with extra strong rip tides due to yesterday’s storm. The beach was crowded with vacationers enjoying their stay.
That evening I saw an array of food to delight a king. Lobsters, chicken kabobs and oysters were devoured like there was no tomorrow. It was interesting to watch John crack open the oysters. Nice to watch people slurp those off the shell with a slash of sauce and a squeeze of lemon. I'll stick to veggie type things.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
It’s another day in paradise with sunny skies and birds chirping outside our window.
Monday, August 24, 2009 we took a walk down to the shoreline in the morning after the mild winds and intermittent rain from hurricane Bill blew offshore about 300 miles away to find an array of crustations and various types of seaweed dotting the landscape. A walk through the bay’s damp floor was a delight. Some of the patterns that the sea grasses left in the sand were amazing. One was bright fresh spring green that looked like lettuce leaves ready to be picked. A man in rubber boots was filling a plastic laundry basket with Oyster shells from today’s gathering.
There is no wifi (internet) connection available in this remote island toward the end of Cape Cod so we ventured back a few miles through a couple of towns to Orleans where you can buy a boat load of groceries at the Stop and Shop. We stopped and asked for the library which turned out to be within a half a mile or so. Snow library was silently delightful with a strong free wifi internet connection. A quick note on facebook and then off to the beach.
John, Rachel and Anya had scurried to Nauset Light Beach for an afternoon in the sun with the backdrop of crushing waves. We stopped off at the National Parks visitor’s center where Stan bought me my own senior parks pass as he had left his at home. It works throughout the country for free admittance to any National Park.
By that time the sun was blazing hot and John had already headed back. We walked down part of the staircase and stopped to enjoy the view from the landing. The waves crashed against the shore with extra strong rip tides due to yesterday’s storm. The beach was crowded with vacationers enjoying their stay.
That evening I saw an array of food to delight a king. Lobsters, chicken kabobs and oysters were devoured like there was no tomorrow. It was interesting to watch John crack open the oysters. Nice to watch people slurp those off the shell with a slash of sauce and a squeeze of lemon. I'll stick to veggie type things.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
It’s another day in paradise with sunny skies and birds chirping outside our window.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Cape Cod - Mass 8-26-09
Saturday August 22, 2009
Eleven people gathered across grassy meadows through rutted dirt road surrounded by tall pine trees to a beach house in Cape Cod. Two families, two sets of proud Grandmas and Grandpas, dotting parents, one nanny and of course the two children, Connor age 6 months and Anya almost 10 months. Two languages; Chinese and English added to the fair in remarking to every antic and droll of the children. The grandparents all had the same purpose collectively; to spend time with and get to know the grandchildren as well as connect with our children as adults.
There is always that tense time in any gathering before the group melds together. Grandmas clicking away with their cameras at each little antic their first grandchild makes while parents talk of daily experiences about their child regarding sleeping, eating, pooping and childhood development. Grandpas converse to find similar interests in this diverse group of people.
We make it through the first day taking several discussion walks down to the shoreline a short way down a meandering path. The bay is tranquil, even with the pending watch of hurricane Bill looming 300 miles off the shore. At the end of the path is a wooden staircase that empties into the bay. At high tide the water covers large boulders on the shoreline. When the tide is out about mid-day you can walk onto the wet sandy beach and stroll around the island. At the edge of the smooth sand hundreds of yards of muddy sand filled with crustations of all kinds are revealed. Stan seems to know the names of all these creatures from his time spent at the ocean around New York many years ago. Horseshoe crab shells the size of dinner plates nestle alongside oyster and clam shells. People in rubber rafts float along the quiet bay.
At high tide at the wooden bridge separating Lieutenant Island where we are staying from the mainland of Cape Cod, cars are parked along the narrow road. Kids are jumping into the ten foot or so deep tidal water into what was the marshy grasses just hours before. We are in WellFleet area on Cape Cod staying in Lieutenants Island in a house barely seen from the landscape surrounded by pines overlooking the bay. The one-lane asphalt road is covered with a couple feet of water for a while during the high tide.
Sunday August 23, 2009
Finally, we all needed a retreat on a rainy day from the effects of Hurricane Bill. So we took a ride across the wooden one-lane bridge through the marshy meadows to Wellfleet, the nearby town. The main street was lined with charming shops set up in old houses. Meandering around the rooms filled with trendy items, made looking all the more fun. I picked up a T-shirt at Puppies and Pickles for Jamie with a cute Joy Ride motif, reminiscent of the Far Side cartoons of dogs having fun leaning out of a car window. She won’t get the connection to the cartoon, but will enjoy it as she loves dogs.
One pint-sized grocery reminded me of yester year stores with aisle of shelves filled with a few choices of many items, but really everything you needed to buy. No Costco mega shopping here. I found the bakery section and purchased a few homemade donuts rich in flavor and texture along with the best apple cranberry pie for after dinner later that evening.
Anya was a cute little attraction as she wheeled in her stroller through narrow sidewalks on a sunny day wearing her new hat mommy bought her.
We all piled back in the Jeep and headed toward P-Town (nickname for Provincetown) at the end of the Cape. Provincetown has its own personality and known for its gay community without prejudice. This adds an interesting flare to the streets lined with art galleries and charming boutiques. Evidently, Black Dog is a popular brand of t-shirts so I acquiesced and bought a couple of them for Anya and John. We walked down a peaceful path just off the main street flare into the most tranquil Asian garden to relax while Anya took a little nap in her stroller.
We didn’t go down to the water’s edge today, but did enjoy the view of the bay from our balcony. Eating with eleven people and many cooks in the kitchen is always a challenge, especially when there is no real plan. We all managed to put plenty of food on the table sharing across families and listening to mixed conversations of Chinese and English. The pie was delicious as it looked, by the way.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Hurricane Bill left the most interesting shells, seaweed and gossamer plants blown in from the tide on the edge of the shoreline. Combinations of clams shells attached to rocks and seaweed made a delightful view of the oceans treasures.
Eleven people gathered across grassy meadows through rutted dirt road surrounded by tall pine trees to a beach house in Cape Cod. Two families, two sets of proud Grandmas and Grandpas, dotting parents, one nanny and of course the two children, Connor age 6 months and Anya almost 10 months. Two languages; Chinese and English added to the fair in remarking to every antic and droll of the children. The grandparents all had the same purpose collectively; to spend time with and get to know the grandchildren as well as connect with our children as adults.
There is always that tense time in any gathering before the group melds together. Grandmas clicking away with their cameras at each little antic their first grandchild makes while parents talk of daily experiences about their child regarding sleeping, eating, pooping and childhood development. Grandpas converse to find similar interests in this diverse group of people.
We make it through the first day taking several discussion walks down to the shoreline a short way down a meandering path. The bay is tranquil, even with the pending watch of hurricane Bill looming 300 miles off the shore. At the end of the path is a wooden staircase that empties into the bay. At high tide the water covers large boulders on the shoreline. When the tide is out about mid-day you can walk onto the wet sandy beach and stroll around the island. At the edge of the smooth sand hundreds of yards of muddy sand filled with crustations of all kinds are revealed. Stan seems to know the names of all these creatures from his time spent at the ocean around New York many years ago. Horseshoe crab shells the size of dinner plates nestle alongside oyster and clam shells. People in rubber rafts float along the quiet bay.
At high tide at the wooden bridge separating Lieutenant Island where we are staying from the mainland of Cape Cod, cars are parked along the narrow road. Kids are jumping into the ten foot or so deep tidal water into what was the marshy grasses just hours before. We are in WellFleet area on Cape Cod staying in Lieutenants Island in a house barely seen from the landscape surrounded by pines overlooking the bay. The one-lane asphalt road is covered with a couple feet of water for a while during the high tide.
Sunday August 23, 2009
Finally, we all needed a retreat on a rainy day from the effects of Hurricane Bill. So we took a ride across the wooden one-lane bridge through the marshy meadows to Wellfleet, the nearby town. The main street was lined with charming shops set up in old houses. Meandering around the rooms filled with trendy items, made looking all the more fun. I picked up a T-shirt at Puppies and Pickles for Jamie with a cute Joy Ride motif, reminiscent of the Far Side cartoons of dogs having fun leaning out of a car window. She won’t get the connection to the cartoon, but will enjoy it as she loves dogs.
One pint-sized grocery reminded me of yester year stores with aisle of shelves filled with a few choices of many items, but really everything you needed to buy. No Costco mega shopping here. I found the bakery section and purchased a few homemade donuts rich in flavor and texture along with the best apple cranberry pie for after dinner later that evening.
Anya was a cute little attraction as she wheeled in her stroller through narrow sidewalks on a sunny day wearing her new hat mommy bought her.
We all piled back in the Jeep and headed toward P-Town (nickname for Provincetown) at the end of the Cape. Provincetown has its own personality and known for its gay community without prejudice. This adds an interesting flare to the streets lined with art galleries and charming boutiques. Evidently, Black Dog is a popular brand of t-shirts so I acquiesced and bought a couple of them for Anya and John. We walked down a peaceful path just off the main street flare into the most tranquil Asian garden to relax while Anya took a little nap in her stroller.
We didn’t go down to the water’s edge today, but did enjoy the view of the bay from our balcony. Eating with eleven people and many cooks in the kitchen is always a challenge, especially when there is no real plan. We all managed to put plenty of food on the table sharing across families and listening to mixed conversations of Chinese and English. The pie was delicious as it looked, by the way.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Hurricane Bill left the most interesting shells, seaweed and gossamer plants blown in from the tide on the edge of the shoreline. Combinations of clams shells attached to rocks and seaweed made a delightful view of the oceans treasures.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Sunday 7-26-09 - Pulaksi Polka Days Wisconsin
Sunday 7-26-09 was a fun time at the 4 day Pulaski Polka Days in Pulaski Wisconsin a town of 3000.
Parades, polka music and fireman targeting an orange barrel in a water fight added to the fun.
Here are some photos from the parade. This includes the Knight of Columbus at the Polka mass before the parade.
Parades, polka music and fireman targeting an orange barrel in a water fight added to the fun.
Here are some photos from the parade. This includes the Knight of Columbus at the Polka mass before the parade.
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