Cupcakes & Whitehorse Beach

After our awesome day exploring Cape Cod, we've shifted down a notch or two and taken it easy. With no plans for Friday and both of us in the midst of reading engaging books, I thought a day on a local beach would be quite the ticket.

When we got to Plymouth, we decided to walk along the harbor one more time and to check out more of the shops. We found a great place to park near this cluster of shops right on the harbor.

More about Cupcake Charlie's later.

A small park along the harbor walk.

Leaving Plymouth, we started looking for a beach where we could sit and read while listening to the surf. Following signs, we took a road that ended here at Manomet Point...quite a view but certainly not beachy.

Backtracking, we saw signs for Whitehorse Beach and thought ourselves most fortunate to find parking near the sandy path to this Plymouth city beach! We gathered all of our stuff and put on beach shoes (luckily, this time I didn't just go barefoot from the car!). As we walked down to the beach we noticed bottle caps, glass, and lots of other trash in the sand. There were folks scattered along the beach but no one in the water, not even the kids. Then I noticed that the waves were black.

While Rich set up our chairs, I had walked down to the water with my camera. The surf here was loaded with seaweed and other sea plants. The waves would bring it in and take it back out immediately which is why the waves remained full of dark colored sea life. If the kids had been with us, we would have gone back to the car and continued to look for a different beach.

But, since we just wanted to relax, read, and listen to the sounds of the ocean we stayed. Talking with a family that has been coming here for years, I learned that the amount of plant life in the waves was most likely the result of Tropical Storm Irene. But the amount of trash saddened them because the city of Plymouth had always kept the beach clean until the past couple of years.

No, I didn't forget about Cupcake Charlie's. Cupcakes have been all the rage for a few years now and I have never been to a cupcake shop until Friday. It was a good-sized shop; I have never seen so many cupcakes and so many flavors. We finally narrowed our choices to four: Carrot, Red Velvet, Hostess, and Rollo which we have had for dessert the last two evenings. These were the most delicious cupcakes I've ever tasted!

Lovin' Life ~~ And New Taste Treats  

Bev

Cape Cod

Surprisingly, there is one main road up the center of Cape Cod, Hwy 6 so you must venture onto side roads to see the ocean. Rarely do side roads parallel the shore and most of it is privately owned. But when you do reach a beach...oh my! I hope you took two minutes to watch the movie I posted yesterday. Between the days spent with the kids at Michigan beaches and the many beaches we've visited on this trip, I have been converted to a beach person.

Our first stop on Cape Cod was in the town of Harwich to visit a church for a dear friend back home. As we entered the town, I saw this which turned out to be my favorite photo of the day.

This lovely chapel is located behind the church we were visiting. The setting is beautiful, the stained glass windows are breathtaking, and I felt such peace sitting for a spell in the carved wooden pews. What touched me most deeply though were the tiny angels covering the roof...the second photo is cropped so you can see them.


As we often do, we picked up lunch at a deli and picnicked with the girls. This was at Forest Beach Overlook in Chatham.

On the main street in Chatham, I noticed this Public Library next door to a church. Do you think it's the smallest library in the country? I can't imagine how one could be smaller. How would you like to work in this library, Sandee?

Since I was surprised at the heavily treed roadways, I'm posting a couple of photos along with one of the lighthouse at Nauset Light Beach in North Eastham.

Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet is the one I posted a photo and movie of yesterday. There's more today though because I LOVE this beach! Since we had the girls with us, Rich stayed at the car with them. As the photos below show: The waves come in, the foam of the surf sparkles as they recede, and they roll along the shore in such awesome patterns. Fabulously, the beach is pristine...little seaweed and no trash. At the left side of this next photo, notice the ridge at the crest of the wave.

My favorite view...watching the waves roll all the way up the shore.

You see that Newcomb Hollow Beach is at the base of these cliffs...

...so you have to walk down (and ultimately back up of course!) this steep, deep-sand path to the beach. It is well worth the effort though.


Rich took Hwy 3A which does run along the shore of Cape Cod Bay and is lined with older motels and cabins located directly on the beachfront. This highway took us into Provincetown. We happened upon this very narrow street where throngs of people wandered among the many restaurants and shops.

At a distance, this photo is closely cropped, the Race Point Lighthouse can be seen.

The landscape bordering the Cape Cod National Seashore on the way to Race Point out of Provincetown was so varied and unlike any we had seen before.

Arriving at Race Point, I was thrilled to discover yet another beautiful beach. Since evening was falling, it was getting a bit cool so even the sand had been chilled by the sea.

Walking down to the beach the path was lined with this fencing, so common on the eastern seaboard.

Just look at how much Dora was enjoying the beach, she pranced and leaped the whole time we were there!

To the right is the Race Point Ranger Station.

This is a self-portrait in the lengthening shadows of the evening.

We didn't stay for sunset but did get some great shots of the evening sun splayed across the beach.

Not long after we left Race Point, I did capture this sunset shot.

Lovin' Life ~~ And Now Beaches Too  

Bev

Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees

As promised in this blog post last night there is much more to share about our evening. Let me begin by saying that we don't shy away from adventure...our definition of adventure includes climbing out on rock cliffs above the ocean; driving a remote, secluded, one-lane dirt road with heavy swamp on both sides; traveling all over the country; seeking wildlife on unknown, unmarked, dark country roads; not seeing another soul for an entire day while driving on steep dirt paths along deep canyons...you get the idea. I have no qualms, no hesitation about any of those adventures. Our urban adventures, however, do sometimes give me pause and anticipating last evening's adventure made me more than a bit skittish.

As my niece guessed, the photos in my teaser post were of Rich and I riding the Boston subway to attend a baseball game at Fenway Park. This was on Rich's "bucket list" and I did not even realize that until he proposed that we go to a game while in the Boston area. If you are ever inclined to do this, know that there is lots of parking at the station we left from and even though we had to change subways at the Park station, it was no problem because the signage is clear and plentiful. We've done this in Manhattan with no problem; I suppose it was the nighttime aspect that made me a tad uneasy about this one. Anyway, it was a breeze and I would not hesitate to do it again...now that I am a pro...giggle

Waiting for the gates to open on Boston's Yawkey Way outside Fenway Park.

We live near Chicago and I'm certain that all Cubs fans consider Wrigley Field to be "America's Most Beloved Ballpark"...doncha think?

We have plenty of Cardinal and White Sox fans around us too...nah...their ballparks can't compare with Wrigley and Fenway...sorry guys.

A lifelong Cubs fan but just thrilled to be at Fenway Park for a game!

I don't quite get the significance of the wall that's called the Green Monster but Rich was excited to see it in person.

Now this I get. This cutie is the Red Sox' mascot, Wally the Green Monster!

Here are a couple of photos just to show you what a gorgeous evening it was for baseball in Boston last night.

The announcer's box above Rich as we prepare to leave the ballpark.

We walked several blocks to the platform; waited just a few minutes, and now here comes the subway to take us to our station...I'd better hustle on!

Lovin' Life ~~ Oh Yeah...Boston Beat the Yankees 9 - 5  

Bev

Plymouth, MA ~ America's Hometown

When you Google "America's Hometown" there are several towns that claim that moniker, not only Plymouth, but c'mon...the Pilgrims landed HERE!

On our first visit to Plymouth, several years ago, I walked down the stone steps seen in this photo to wade in the Atlantic for the first time. You won't find mention of that momentous occasion in any history books.

The Pilgrims arrived under far more difficult conditions than I, on a ship much like this one.

Massachusetts has created a lovely area commemorating the arrival and survival of the Pilgrims who established a community in what is now Plymouth.

From childhood history lessons, I imagined a huge, ship-sized boulder when thinking about Plymouth Rock but this is it...what's left of the rock chosen to memorialize the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620. Seeing it was such a shock when we were here the first time.

We don't spend a lot of time in souvenir shops these days but wanted to pick up a postcard. Lucky me...just look at what I scored in a shop across the street from Plymouth Rock...aren't these charms simply darling? I am always so thrilled when I can find all three of our grands' names.

As you know if you saw last night's post, there's more to come about yesterday's adventures but for now, I'm off to The Cape!

Lovin' Life ~~ So Much To See  

Bev