Photo of the day: Birds wading on Chatham Light

Seagulls wading in a sand bar pool on Chatham Light Beach.

Photo of the day: High Tide at Red River Beach

Piles of slippersnail shells washed ashore after high tide on Red River Beach, Harwich MA.

Hunting for sea treasures, Grey Neck Beach

I’ve been hunting for treasures on the beach– looking for a little secret that I haven’t seen before. I like to go in the morning when it is quiet before everyone gets there with their shovels, umbrellas and chairs.  It is the magic hour in the sand.

Wild Beach Plum Jelly

Green brush filled with bright red-orange berries and vivid pink and white flowers form a mosaic of color along the perimeter of beaches and bogs. The native beach plums are larger than a grape and smaller than a plum and grow wild all over the Cape. Gardeners believe they grow best left untouched with the salt air and sandy soil. The locals make jelly out of its sweet/tart fruit. I often buy the spread as hostess gifts or to bring back to friends outside the area.

My favorite places for this favorite local jelly and other homemade jams: Chatham Jam and Jelly and Briar Lane Jams and Jellies in Wellfleet.

Frog Casanovas

Every night as soon the sky turns pitch black, the serenade begins. The male frogs start their mating call to the all lady frogs. It starts out soft, then grows in harmony as they all join in. It’s a rhythmic song that amplifies on the pond. I feel like Barry White should be singing in the background.

Faccia Brutta

I stumbled upon this “face” at Red River the other day. It reminded me of when my Italian Grandma would squeeze our baby cheeks and shout, “faccia brutta!” (pronounced fa’chia bru-tah.) Little did I know it meant, “funny face.”

Horseshoe Crabs – a curious observation

I’m a curious observer of life. Here at the beach, if I have a good book I can sit for hours and let my mind absorb the day. Without a good book, I’m left to wander the shores to fill my curiosity. So I’ve noticed that there are more horseshoe crab carcasses on the beaches this year than any other. Or am I imagining? Google confirms my thoughts and expands! This article explains the spring spawning season has produced a very lopsided ratio of crabs, “The ratio of male to female horseshoe crabs, typically one to one, is significantly lopsided. For every one female crab that has been found, up to six or more males have turned up.” Researchers are now frantically trying to figure out why. Hmmmm, sounds VERY similar to the NYC dating scene. I think the she-crabs are in trouble…