Cape Cod

Last week The Hubby and I traveled to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for business (his). I have never been before, but I've loved it from all the photos I've seen of this beautiful area:

It was magical. I felt like I stepped into a postcard from The Cape, and it all came to life: The pale sand, the rustling sea grasses, the silvery wooden boardwalks and rickety fences, the fishing boats and--of course--the ever-present Atlantic. The Cape is only a couple miles across at its widest, and the ocean's influence is everywhere:

Cape Cod has very distinctive architecture. It seems that nine out of ten houses there are either painted-wood or cedar-shingle siding, with crisp white trim and colorfully painted shutters:

Cape Cod's beaches are festooned with the shells of sea creatures--things like horseshoe crabs:

...and whelks:

...and pearly little spirals nestled in the sea grass:

Cape Cod has the most amazing parking lots. They are not surfaced in pavement or concrete, but in broken-up, sun-bleached white clam shells! They were stunning (and made a wonderful crunching sound when driven over):

The Cape has secluded beaches:

...and countless estuaries, inlets, and marshes, which shelter many species of bird, including Ospreys, Blue Herons, and Red-Tailed Hawks:

The Cape has adorable shops with eye-catching signs and display windows:

And places to just sit and admire the misty, grey-and-blue horizons beyond the bright green lawns:

Cape Cod is a rich community; most homes and shops are beautifully maintained. But the locals also appreciate the rusty, the chippy, the flaky, and the just plain old:

Below is a small bit of garden in the middle of a town square. It sums up a lot of Cape Cod: the gray cedar shingles, white trim, lovely flowers, mature trees, green lawn, and patriotic war monument and American flag.

Next, I'll take you around the grounds of the beautiful Chatham Bars Inn, where we stayed while in Cape Cod:

More tasty photos to follow!