A Different Path Every Day.

 Cape Cod - Brewster - Bayside

Late winter signals the beginning of a new year. It's a reflective time when you might consider the fact that you will be a year older and is this the direction you want your life to continue on? You might choose a different path to travel, shake things up a little, or make a change.

I love spur-of-the-moment adventures, much to the dismay of my husband Tim, who, as a self-employed artist, keeps to a schedule, at least for most of the year. He actually gets up several hours before me, works in his studio, and then waits to see what I want to do. He has so much love for me, maybe it's his patience but I really love that he's in my life. So when I can, I try to get him to go with me on a daily explore.

I pick a different road or path each day, nothing major or life-changing, just something different.

This morning, we went looking for scallop shells at Crosby Landing Beach in Brewster. The sun was shining, the tide out, the air cool and refreshing.

As I "serpentined" my way across the bumpy flats looking for scallop shells, with Tim several feet in front of me, the sun felt warm on my bare head - didn't need a hat today.

Did you know that the scallop shell is the only shell that you can poke a hole in and it won't break or crack? I use them as accents when I sell my book sets and the gallery ties them onto the gift wrapped artwork.

Together we found almost 50 shells of various sizes.

Weather has not always been so co-operative in our daily explores.
Back on New Year's Day, the Cape was full of snow.

Rock Harbor - Orleans

Trying to spot Capt'n Cass Restaurant looking across Rock Harbor

After traveling for the month of January to Juneau, AK and to Los Angeles, CA to see all the kids and grand babies, we returned to Cape Cod only to be greeted with more snow and astronomical high tides. We visited Provincetown on February 1.

Race Point nearing high tide. The parking lot was almost gone.

On February 2, Linnell Landing - Brewster had a high tide and slushy snow.

Frozen waves at Crosby Landing - Brewster - February 4.

The same February day, we decided to see how Nauset Lighthouse Beach was faring in the winter so far.
Both entryways to get to the beach (Liam's and further down to the left of the bandstand) were closed off due to recent erosion. The only way down was at the far end of the parking lot, near the entrance to the Outer Beach.

This beach path was steep, but we were determined to get to the water.

Our feet followed the indentations of the others who had gone before us. Once at the bottom, we headed left to see why we couldn't use the old entrances.

We came across a section of peat that we hadn't noticed on our previous walks. You could see where sections of peat had been cut out, possibly late 1800s or turn of the century, the blocks were used for heat in Orleans homes or sold to Boston.

Peat

A little past this, you could see the remains of the old boardwalk by Liam's Clam Shack along with the old septic tank.

Past this entrance to the beach, you could see the other entrance and the reason no one was allowed to enter via these familiar paths. The wooden boardwalks had been washed away.

Boardwalk to the left of the bandstand.

As the sun slowly disappeared behind the clouds and the wind picked up speed, we turned to get back to the car. Reaching the top of the dune and looking back to the water, we reflected on how change is good, even though at the time, it seems devastating. We've always known that if you look hard enough, you'll always find a way.

New Path

Don't forget! All of my books are still available for sale across all online channels and in bookstores across the country. See the right side of the blog for connections.