______________________________________________________________________________________________

PROGRAMMING NOTE from the Author and Archivist


So obviously I just stopped blogging on this platform. I'll get back to it eventually. Or not. I'm taking a break from all social media. It seemed necessary for my mental health.

The last few years have been busy and … challenging:

- 2015 Happened.
- 2016 Let's call it The Lost Year. (Obviously words failed me.)
- 2017 about broke me. Literally. Mentally.
- 2018 was ridiculous, proving 2017 was just a warm up. (Good thing I was already broken so it couldn't hurt as much.#2018TrashCanFire I thought things were going okay, but maybe not?)

- 2019 was such a blur. I know there were highlights, but then stuff happened and carried into the next year...

- And then in March#2020 really took a turn. Who can even categorize 2020? Do we dare?


I kinda want a do-over of some of the last few years. But life doesn’t work that way.


So for now, I'm hunkering down. Regrouping. Trying to stay safe and sort some stuff out.


Stay safe everyone. Stay well.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Quote of the Day

"The past can never come back and the future can never be foreseen; therefore, we can only attempt to understand the present ... the laughter and the pain!"

~ Anonymous

My resolution for the New Year is to more fully appreciate the present ...
and to learn to do more laughing through the pain.
Hopefully my odd way of looking at the world will continue to amuse me.
If I amuse you too, dear readers, all the better.

May you all have a very Happy New Year!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Auntie Nettie Reads A LOT - 4th Quarter

This is the fourth and final installment of Auntie Nettie's Reading List for 2008. (Links to the first three can be found here.) If you are just finding the blog, please note that this list was maintained mainly so that I could remember what I've read this year. The record does not fully represent me or all of my interests, so don't judge my reading habits. While there have been periods when I seem to focus on one subject matter or author exclusively, that's due to my obsessive habits of wanting to read everything in a series straight through, rather than waiting the months or YEARS that it may take an author to publish new material.

Also, although I could really use the revenue, and as a librarian by training, I'm used to doing readers advisories, I am staying away from making too many recommendations or providing links to major on-line catalogs or retailers.

This is just a list.

Got it?

That being writ, do go forth and read ... I don't care if it's chick lit, the comics, a "How to" or "Dummies" book, the back of the cereal box, or a magazine. Just read something!

October 2008
Ain't Myth-behaving: Two Novellas by Katie MacAlister
Demons are Forever: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 3) by Julie Kenner
The Romanov Bride by Robert Alexander
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
The Writing Class by Jincy Willett
Enlightenment for Idiots: A Novel by Anne Cushman
Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
Just Desserts by Barbara Bretton
The Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland
Mozart's Ghost: A Novel by Julia Cameron* {This one was neat, because it was set on the Upper West Side and mentioned the Popover Cafe, site of a recent brunch with Christine!}
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

November 2008
Foundation (The Collegium Chronicles: Valdemar) by Mercedes Lackey
Home for the Holidays by Lisa Plumley
The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters: A Novel by Lorraine Lopez
The Remarkable Miss Frankenstein by Minda Webber
Mansfield Park Revisted by Joan Aiken
The Reincarnationist (Memorist Society 1) by M.J. Rose
What's a Ghoul to Do? (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 1) by Victoria Laurie
Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 2) by Victoria Laurie
Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson
Man of the House: a Novel by Ad Hudler
Deja Demon: The Days and Nights of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 4) by Julie Kenner
Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
His Majesty's Dragon (Temeriare 1) by Naomi Novik

Throne of Jade (Temeraire 2) by Naomi Novik

December 2008
Black Powder War (Temeraire 3) by Naomi Novik
Empire of Ivory (Temeraire 4) by Naomi Novik [waiting anxiously to get book 5]
Grace: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal by Lily Koppel
The Professors' Wives' Club: A Novel by Joanne Rendell
A Bad Bride's Tale: A Novel by Polly Williams
Death Swatch: A Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs
The Memorist (Memorist Society 2) by M.J. Rose

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon
A Fool and His Honey (Aurora Teagarden 6) by Charlaine Harris
The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Happy Anniversary!

In the rush of the hollydaze I always seem to almost forget another very important date, my parents' wedding anniversary. This year I didn't want to forget, so I "banked" this blog post months ago for release today.

Happy 41st Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Auntie Nettie's parents in 1967, around the date of their wedding. They were both in their very early 20s, but Mom was the "older woman." You go Dad!

Many years ago for a Church bulletin, my mother wrote a little essay on how she and Dad met. It's not quite the story that my brothers and I grew up hearing, but it's pretty close.

Which version of this courtship do you want? Dad tells the children that Mom chased him, he tripped on his untied shoe lace, could not get away, and then Mom caught him. Mom remembers that she was blown away when Dad asked her on bended knee to marry him because most of their time together previously had been spent listening to Dad’s problems with girlfriends in Corpus Christi, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. [Go Pop! You dog, you!] Whichever version one believes, the facts are that Mom was teaching junior high school English in Norfolk, Virginia and Dad was transferred to Norfolk by the Navy for a three month school. They met at the Norfolk Ward after Easter. This was the Vietnam era; therefore, there were as many as twenty LDS single service men in the ward at one time. They had firesides, dances, group activities all the time, as many of the group as could getting together and getting to know one another. They all got along well and were friends helping each other to grow in the gospel and careers. Most of the servicemen were not officers nor returned missionaries but were faithful to the Priesthood and the Church. Those who were not did not look up the Church and got lost on the bases of ships. Anyway, Mom and Dad became friends, did a lot of talking, and after Dad either got on bended knee or tripped on that shoe lace and Mom caught him, they have continued to be friends and to do a lot of talking for the last [forty plus] years.

Thanks to my colleague T*** for this lovely present for last year's anniversary; the infamous shoe lace is at the bottom of the art work. It's done up here -- to symbolize their lasting tie.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Oh MY!

Don't be alarmed Elle.
It's just Santa Nettie!

It's Elle's first Christmas and the first time she's seen her Auntie in months.
No wonder she's a bit alarmed.
Thanks to the fam for capturing this priceless moment.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Happy Hollydaze

As alluded to previously, Auntie Nettie is taking a few weeks off to travel westward to visit her nieces and nephews (and their folks), and will be taking a vacation from the concrete commute, her jobs, the blog, all four e-mail accounts, and the rest of the cyber world. Periodically new posts will appear, though, so stayed tuned. Wish me luck with the commute and the flight.

In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very
Happy and Healthy Holly-day!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Classy Broad

In honor of my last day as a librarian at this particular institution, here's little fun:

Find your inner Dewey Decimal class number

Spacefem.com writes: “This quiz will convert your name to a class listed in the Dewey Decimal Classification system. That’s right. There’s no reason you can’t be classified, albeit randomly, just like a library book. Libraries are freaking awesome and we all need to read more, so there. Somewhere between 000 (Generalities) and 999 (Extraterrestrial worlds), you have a place.”... [emphasis my own]

Of the possible results you can get when plugging in your choice of name, number, and birthdates, I found these to be a bit ... well apropos. If you've been reading the blog lately, you'll get why. (Again, underlined emphasis my own.)

First Result:

638 Insect culture

Class: 600 Technology

Contains: Health, agriculture, management, public relations, buildings.

What it says about you: You are creative and inspired to make the world a better place. You can work hard on something when it catches your interest. Your friends have unique interests in common with you.

Second Result:

185 Aristotelian philosophy

Class: 100 Philosophy & Psychology

Contains: Books on metaphysics, logic, ethics and philosophy.

What it says about you: You're a careful thinker, but your life can be complicated and hard for others to understand at times. You try to explain things and strive to express yourself.

Third Result:

013 [Unassigned]

Class: 000 Computer Science, Information & General Works

Contains: Encyclopedias, magazines, journals and books with quotations.

What it says about you: You are very informative and up to date. You're working on living in the here and now, not the past. You go through a lot of changes. When you make a decision you can be very sure of yourself, maybe even stubborn, but your friends appreciate your honesty and resolve.

Can someone smarter than me explain to me how it is that my given name and birthdate fated me to be what I am?

What does your DDC quiz say about you?

Friday, December 19, 2008

Auntie Nettie's Merchandise Wrap-up 2008

As Auntie Nettie's Attic begins to pack it in for the year, Auntie Nettie thought she'd better do a wrap-up on her final projects of the 2008. She's continued to crochet and craft, though many of the later creations were sold at the second boutique at the Big J on Dec. 11 before it, or they, were photographed.

Continuing, in reverse order:
#92: Pink Hoodie Afghan (not available)
(Like #21)

#91:
Black Fuzzy Scarf (not available)
(like #76 and #77)

#90:
Purple/Red Variegated Scarf
(as of 06/09 unraveled to make another project)

#89: Fall Ribbon Spiral Scarf (not available)
#88: Creamy Pastel Watercolor Spiral Scarf (not available)
(ala #48, #49, #86)

#87:
Long Sporty Blue Rainbow Scarf (not available, donation)
(to match #63: Blue Rainbow Skull Cap)

#86: Purple Watercolor Spiral Scarf (not available)

#85:
Blue Ribbon Scarf (not available)
(shown here with fringe)

#84:
Purple and White Granny Square Scarf (not available)

#83:
Yellow/White Pastel Granny Square Afghan (as of 04/09, not available)

#82:
Copper Skinny Scarf
(not available)

#80 & #81
: Rose Pink Skinny Scarf
(neither available)

#78 & #79: Decorative Wreaths
(like #70-72)

#77:
Red Fuzzy Scarf
(not available)
#76: Fuchsia Fuzzy Scarf (not available)
#75: White Scarf with Multi-colored Applique Rosettes (not available, donatiom)
#74: Maroon/Blue Scarf (not available)
Thanks to everyone for their patronage this year. Hopefully there will be an announcement of a on-line store over here in 2009. We'll have to see how it works out with their hosting fees and the other costs.

Until then, just drop me a line or a comment if you are interested in anything that you've seen here.

Lousy Legal Limbo

Any letter with the words jury selection, subpoena, testimony, and trial date does not make for a happy holiday. Just saying ...

Dear Santa,

I'd like to revise my Holiday Wish List. While I'd like an adjournment, what I'd really like is a dismissal.

Thanks,
Auntie Nettie

Lunchtime Wanderings in the Snow

Winter Wonderland
Frozen Fruit
Snowy Snowflakes
Icy Island
Frozen Graces

Away in a Food Trough

Let's face it. I'm not going to do any work today.
If I sound like I'm working by typing this, then the boss can
pretend to believe that I'm pretending to work. Right?

In honor of the season and my love all of the Brit accents, I present ...

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
riffing on "Away in a Manger"
(slightly off-colour, in a Scottish-kind o'wae)

For this and other off-colour Holiday Haters clips from YouTube, thank the Gray Lady.

NOOOOO SNOOOOOWWW!

As of 10:20 a.m. the first of the major snow systems of the season have finally hit the City, and my reaction is decidedly Scrooge-like. Any other year I would revel in the flakes, go out and play in it, and start singing "Let it snow, Let it snow, etc." I like snow days ... really I do.

This year, however, I have travel plans, from JFK, via JetBlue ... and we all remember the fiascos that happened when JFK + JetBlue + weather have met before ... No? Go here and trigger your memories. Plus, Vegas had snow this week, and the last time hell froze over like that was the last Christmas Auntie and the Grandparents were due to fly west. This time it's just me, so it should have been fine.

ACK! Make it stop! Auntie Nettie has things to do, places to go, people to see.

Ode to Working Like a Dog

As we all rush mightily to complete tasks before our holiday breaks, I presenteth unto you ...

Peter Sellers performing 'A Hard Day's Night' by The Beatles, in the style of Laurence Olivier's interpretation of Richard III.

Thanks for the link Tim!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Brain Freeze

I haven't been able to think about much but this delectable treat since Casey twittered about it.

Thanks A LOT Casey!

Thankfully I will be in Utah soon, so I'm going to be haunting the aisles of Harmons or the Mavericks until I find me one.

Yo bro!? 'Haps you can do some recon for me? I might even share with you if you stock some up for me.

k? thanx

(of course, if I eat too many of them, then I can't skydive ...)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Retro Ramblings

In my “memory boxes,” I found a copy of one the articles I had written for my high school newspaper. I had forgotten I was even part of the paper staff during my senior year, which isn’t completely surprising; I had about 13 extra curricular activities that year. Long before I had written about May-itis, I had written about schoolitis and senioritis.

Students succumb to boredom
Humor by [Auntie Nettie]

How many of you have been cursed with the droopy-eyed blues? Does your teacher have monotone voice syndrome? Do you find yourself gradually drifting off into another world during most of your classes? If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you suffer from schoolitis boredusperpetualis, more commonly known as “boredom.” The most common symptom of schoolitis is seen as napping through important lectures and class discussion. Doctors, parents, and teachers have found that schoolitis only lasts from the hours of 8:00 a.m. until approximately 1:55 p.m. excluding the passing times [time between classes], lunch, and assorted
study halls.

Students in the twelfth grade are afflicted with a mutant strain of this illness, known as senioritis gradualis. Students with this illness suffer from symptoms such as I-don’t-care attitude, flippant remarks, late nights doing absolutely nothing, teasing and molesting underclassmen noticeable is the ancient rite of “Freshmen Initiation” which originated with the first high school), and a frenzy of trying to fill out college applications the day before the deadline. The severity of each case varies from person to person, and doctors have yet to find one twelfth grader in America that does not suffer from this ailment.

When asked about her feelings on senioritis and schoolitis, {anonymous senior} could not be reached for comment. It seems she was visiting La La Land and the only semblance of a reply was a faint “ZZZZZZZZ.”

Quite often a student’s environment is conducive to schoolitis. Droning voices, overheated rooms, lack of interest, lack of sleep, and a comfortable position are all factors that students mention when asked what makes them sleep in class.

When asked if she ever suffered from schoolitis and why, {another anonymous senior} said, “Yes, last year there was one class I always slept in. I think it was because my body got used to always sleeping at that time.” Another American student struck down by this dread disease.

There seem to be many different ways to hide the fact that you suffer from schoolitis. Girls with long hair report that they hide their face (especially the eye region) in their hair and their teachers never know the difference. Boys report that they try and sit at the back of the classroom to escape detection. Hats, hiding-the-face-in-the-hand routine, slouching and the ever subtle head-on-the-desk-hide-behind-your-neighbor-and-wake-me-up-when-the-bell-rings technique are all the most commonly reported methods that students use.

Sometimes the teachers take pity on their classes, and they show a
filmstrip. What American high school student has not cheered when presented with this “holiday?” (Seriously, who watches those things? After all, who really pays attention to 20-year-old filmstrips on ancient history?) Obviously, looking at some of the grades in classes where filmstrips and videotapes are shown exclusively, not many people are awake during this given “naptime.”

Have you ever looked around your classroom and noticed that you are the ONLY person besides your teacher still awake? Congratulations!! You are not cursed with this disease.

If you have the cure to schoolitis boredusperpetualis, please contact the nurse as soon as possible. It seems that there has been an outbreak of the illness and more and more cases of page face (a very curious side ailment where the imprint of the page that the student has slept on is seen on the face) are being reported and the nurse is getting desperate. Please rush to the health center as quickly as possible. It seems that I too have just come down with schoolitis and am faced with the question of whether to “ZZZ” or not to “ZZZZ … zzz …z.”

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

More Cylons Please

One month until the final episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

Need to remember what happened? Thankfully the SciFi Channel has created a 13-minute snarky clipfest called Catch the Frack up! (See it here.)
"Cyclons are die-hards. Literally." As are its fans ...

10 p.m. ET/PT on Jan. 16, 2009


Monday, December 15, 2008

A Year in Blogging

Dear Auntie Nettie's descendants (and other interested parties),

Last Friday marked a year that Auntie Nettie has been posting to the Blogosphere. She was going to take a moment to reflect on the overall tenor of her posts, to recap the highlights of the year, and leave some words of wisdom and other insights. Alas, there was no time for introspection. Auntie was too busy dealing with her life to write about it. It is also the time of year when end-of-the-tax-year activities pick up in the non-profit world and she really didn't have time to post at work. (In the current economy, it's important for Auntie Nettie to keep her job so she doesn't have to go home and live with Grandmary and Grumpa!) In addition to those work commitments and the holiday "celebrations," there was a weekend blur of commuting and crafting, not to mention baking, wrapping, packing, shipping, and schlepping.

For now, just know that Auntie Nettie intends to continue to use this forum, her cyber attic full of old steamer trunks if you will, to keep you --her beloved nieces and nephews, friends, and family--entertained and informed.

Stay tuned for more antics from Auntie Nettie's Attic,

Much love,

Me aka the Old Bat

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Cheesy Quote of the Day

"There is no point asserting and reasserting what the heart cannot believe."
~ Aleksander Isayerich Solzhenitzyn

When I was cleaning out some of those boxes, I came across this quote written on a tiny piece of an envelope. It was from a letter that my dear college friend Doralice sent me back in the day, and I'd saved it all these years.

Doralice has a wonderful artisnal cheese shop in Healdsburg, California, that I will get to visit ONE day. She also runs Doralice Imports, with culinary expeditions to South America. The
chocolate expedition is yet another thing on my "bucket list."

If you're a foodie, you should totally check out her site and shop.

Go Whey crazy!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Thanksgiving Throw-out on Memory Lane

Part of my Thanksgiving jaunt included the "forced" purging of many boxes of belongings from my parents’ attic. My folks are slowly winnowing down the mass accumulation of five people who spent almost 30 years in a post-Victorian American four-square. Our “stuff” is crammed into every nook and cranny of that house. Now that my parents are retired empty-nesters, they are thinking ahead to when they down-size and relocate to warmer climes nearer their grandchildren. While a good deal of my furniture and quite a few trunks remain in the basement and the garage, I am making pace with the five-year cleaning plan that is underway. Somehow my brothers are spared this process. I think it is because they are thousands of miles away, and don’t seem to care as much about their “stuff.”

On previous visits I have spent hours shredding paystubs from college, shaking my head over the paltry wages that were my work-study financial aid. Copious binders of college notes, handouts, and papers also went in the shredder. College textbooks were donated to the library. Childhood toys were passed on to needy kids. My maid of horror … er… honor bridesmaids dresses went off to Goodwill to amuse future bargain hunters. (Sorry gals, I never did manage to wear those taffeta creations again, no matter how hard you tried to be nice.) I thought I had made good progress, so I was befuddled as to what the heck was in eight to ten boxes Mom had earmarked for me to go through this time.

Under the light of one dim bulb and in the shivering cold of an un-insulated attic, I quickly managed to edit down more of my past. This time I discarded the remainder of my college papers and notes. I found a file with paystubs from my first “real” job, where I learned that if "you have time to lean, you have time to clean." I winnowed three crates of piano/choral music down to one. More books were earmarked for donation, along with various ceramic figurines and stuffed animals. I was ruthless.
Peter Walsh would have been so proud of me.

I didn’t really slow down, however, until I found two small battered cardboard boxes. These were the real “memory boxes,” ones that had been hidden away in the dark recesses of the attic. Creased into the masking tape and peppered throughout the papers were cinders from two chimney fires that have threatened the house over the years. I had discovered a treasure trove from my high school years. In addition to my SAT paperwork, Soviet-era rubles and Communist-paraphernalia from my trip to the U.S.S.R., I found my high school diploma and various letter pins--like the one for the
National Honor Society. (How did I forget that I belonged to the National Honor Society?) I also found those Broadway Playbills from the trip to Les Miz and Phantom, along with the choral arrangements, mentioned here. Seriously. Look!

(I wonder how much I can get for them on eBay?)

Some of the scariest finds in that archaeological dig were the junior high school yearbooks and all of the photos of the 1980s hair. Those incriminating documents will be locked away and only shown to those implicated on those pages with me, and you know who you are. What really amused me were those inscriptions that my classmates wrote in those yearbooks. You know those inscriptions; the “Have a great Summer!” or “You’re a great friend” notes? The ones to me went more like:
  • “Stay the same over the summer (strange!)”;
  • “{Auntie Nettie} You are a very strange! But nice friend.”;
  • “Hi {Auntie Nettie} You’re a little weird. Only kidding.” [I don't think she was!];
  • and “I will miss your stupid ‘smart’ remarks.”
Apparently, even in junior high school I was known for my odd sense of humor. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I brought those boxes and a few more home with me to New York. I’ll be going through them bit by bit, and suspect that they’ll be a source for many a blog entry in the upcoming months.

Stay tuned for more trips down memory lane.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Out of the mouth of babes

"I don't need a friend, I just need a book."

sayeth Amber, c. 2008

I love my niece Amber. I especially love it when she's literary-minded. I really love my sister-in-law for chronicling Amber's little quotes. For the whole story behind this gem, see here.

Perhaps the bookworm/librarian tendency is genetic?

Monday, December 8, 2008

Winter Skylines

Rural Connecticut Backyard in Morning SunUpper West Side New York City
Winter Afternoon

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Cape Cod on Black Friday - Part Two

As we drove north on Route 6 to P-town, the skies finally cleared up. In a true holiday miracle, the public parking on the wharf was FREE and there were spots available. I love the Cape in the off-season. Although many of the restaurants are closed down, the foot and car traffic is light and you get to see a side of the Cape that's just wonderful.

Provincetown

View from the car parking lot
This trip bouyed our spirits. See Mom grin?
P-town had the most unique holiday decorations. We strolled up the pier from the car lot and came across this art installation.
According to the rest of the sign, there are 3,400 bulbs lighting the tree, 112 lobster traps, 62 plastic lobsters, 75 buoys, an 95 bows. You can see it at www.provincetownview.com, or in person until Jan. 30, 2009.

Mom and I strolled along Commercial Street, bought saltwater taffy by the pound at Cabot's Candy Store (the only place I can find clove-flavored saltwater taffy), and poked around the various stores. We sidetracked to the beach, where we heard word of a stranded harbor seal pup, and I saw this beaut of a shell necklace.

All of the views were spectacular that afternoon ...

Can it get more New England than this?

This sign cracked me up. It was on the very end corner of a pier.
All I could think was "DUH!"

There's a huge Portugese population in P-town. I'm sure these stencils had more to do with that, rather than the whole-chicken-crossing-the-road debate.

Mutt and Jeff here decided to share a trawler -- christened the Probable Cause.

Looking north from the harbor
As we walked along the pier, we got to see more harbor seals swimming around. This one was shy, and we wondered if it was the mama to the pup that was stranded up the beach.

I got mocked by other tourists for shooting this one, but look at the patina on that anchor. It's cool!
After a sunset dinner of seafood and salad (too much turkey the day before) and yummy pumpkin bread at the Lobster Pot, we wandered back to the car. Lobsters were on the brain, if not in the belly.
As a lovely parting gift, we got to see town "trees" all lit up.

The Lobster Pot Tree

We drove home in the dark, but this Aquarius's soul was revived by the salt sea and winter wind. Black Friday wasn't "black" for me, but a light in the long winter darkness. Now I just have to figure out how to get back out there before another 18 months passes me by.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Cape Cod on Black Friday - Part One

Rather than brave the shopping hordes on Black Friday, Mom and I escaped to Cape Cod. It was a typical New England day, every five minutes the weather was different. We had wind, rain, sleet, and sun in rapid succession, making the beach excursions memorable. We did do some brief shopping at the Cape Cod Outlet Mall, but the day was more for sand, surf, and seafood, than shopping -- except for saltwater taffy.

In honor of Thanksgiving, we made a pilgrimage to First Encounter Beach. This historic beach bore witness to the first encounter between Native Americans and Pilgrims before their landing at Plymouth Rock.

First Encounter Beach

Also in Eastham is Fort Hill with its fabulous views of Nauset Marsh and the Atlantic Ocean. Fort Hill is part of the
Cape Cod National Seashore. It was too cold and windy to explore the whole walk. These are just some glimpses. My camera was too dinky to capture the sight of a blue heron in flight out in the surf, but some of the other die-hard birders and photogs got some great views. I captured the views of other things in flight.

Mom in motion
This is typical. She's never still.

Views from the Fort Hill hike:

The Atlantic Ocean and marsh

Beach erosion did in this sign

Break-waters rolling through the barriers
Closer views
New England Farmhouse - Winter sky

Seashore Lane

Waves of Bittersweet


On the way into the lot at Fort Hill I spied one of the fields filled with a flock of seagulls. Further investigation revealed that instead of an idyllic pastoral moment, it was more a scene straight out of the Serengeti, with gulls instead of hyenas and lions. Those birds weren't pecking on seeds or crumbs. Nope. Someone decided NOT to make turkey soup out of the carcass of their Thanksgiving Day bird and tossed it there for the gulls. Lovely. Just a little cannibalism as part of Thanksgiving/Black Friday. (Yes, I have a strange sense of humor, so I had to snap some shots on the way out.)

I see you eying my lunch.

I said, get away!

I am Jonathan. Hear me roar!

After Fort Hill we headed north on Route 6, with the ultimate destination of Provincetown in mind. We had to make various pit-stops along the way though. As we drove the weather changed from grey and overcast, with glints of sun, to pouring down rain.

North Sunken Meadow Beach
Massachusetts Bay side of Cape Cod
Wellfleet
Of course we had to stop at the local library.
It was the only place on mid-Cape that was open with a public restroom.
(Where was my Shushing Librarian when I needed her?)
Most important view of the trip
Two ladies + cold weater + rain + lots of soda = need for:

Coming soon, views of Provincetown.