sea shore still life

Seashell still life on the seashore here in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.  Included are clams, mussels, periwinkles, a bottle cap, a crab and sea tumbled rocks.  This was illustrated on the back of an index card...hence the red stripe bleeding through on the left side of the art.

I have lived here for more than four years now and I am still in awe of the natural beauty of the woods and waterways of Buzzards Bay.  Such a beautiful area of the world.

Fifty-one years ago I was born and then adopted in Boston.  Six years ago I found my birth mother, a wonderful and beautiful lady whom I love very much.  It turns out that my ancestors have been living on Cape Cod, in the village of Buzzards Bay for many generations (back to the Crossing Of The Pond in 1634).  I was unexplainably drawn to the area and could not leave during an unstable time in my life.  On my own, I have settled here and absolutely love it.  Over time I have discovered my family roots and the strong bond to this area.  It is indeed a special and magical place to Be.

The beaches are chalk-full of shellfish and fish.  The water is always cold...refreshing.  During the summer the beaches are full of tourists.  When the tide is changing, people flock by foot and boat to harvest the shellfish, which are incredibly prolific.  This year I bought a fishing permit, and plan to get a somewhat expensive shellfish license.  In the long run, a year-long $35 shellfish permit is much less expensive compared to a dinner in restaurants.  So much gratification with making a seafood meal on your own.

I tend to eat some of these straight from the waters.  The little periwinkles, the oysters and clams are so tasty when plucked from the waters and eaten right there.  Briny and fresh and delightfully flavorful they are.  A real treat they are.

beach house trio

Foreshadowing of the seasons to come.
3x5" min-art.

a dream of springtime

Yesterday on Cape Cod came several more inches of snow.  Last night I dreamt of bright green springtime amongst patches of heavy winter snow.  Two distinct seasons of the year in one landscape.

frozen Buttermilk Bay

The tide retreating from the beach.  The ice is like a ghostly remnant of time.  The past, present and inevitable future.


Electric Avenue Beach.  A few blocks from home.

A good reminder that the water is shallow at low tide.  Diving could be quite dangerous.

New England snow globe

Wind and snow, and then more snow and wind.  Not that it matters too much more than a hill of Boston baked beans, but this wickedly wild winter weather does in fact extend beyond the Boston city limits.  Cape Cod is only about fifty miles away.  I love this extreme winter weather!

food, warmth and shelter

With the ongoing heavy snow in New England, I worry about the wildlife.  How do they survive in the deep snow?  If only they could all have little greenhouses for fresh food.  I wish them health, warmth  and safety during the winter.

A small sketch, 3x5"

post-blizzard barbecue

The day after the big winter snow storm.  Such a glorious day for a picnic!  Sunscreen suggested against the blinding snow.  No stinging mosquitos or pesky flies.













This marks the 700th posting on my blog.

Winter Storm Juno

Yesterday, in the midst of winter storm Juno, I trekked the 4 blocks to the beach.  This was before the snowplows could clear the roads, so it took about half an hour to get there with the snow up at my thighs.  The wind gusts were at least 60 m.p.h. while the snow blew sideways.  I love extreme winter weather like this!

Electric Avenue beach on Buttermilk Bay in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.

a box of rocks

Rocks from the shoreline.

Being on the beach always inspires beach and ocean art.  There are so many wonderful places and things to explore along the shoreline.  There are edible shellfish and seaweed that can be plucked and eaten immediately.  Others are taken home and steamed to perfection.  Edible art inspirations.

watercolor, color pencil and ink.  5x7"

half-a-Chinese firedrill

Having fun in the pouring rain while waiting for the light in the early morning of Christmas in Buzzards Bay on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.  Both refused to budge from their seating, so there the pair sat in the car in the pouring rain while watching the light turn from red to green and back to red again.

Main Street

This time of year, recreational boating season is finished.  Here in Buzzards Bay, there have been plenty of boats going up and down Main Street, heading to their winter storage places.  As a boating enthusiast, it's always interesting to watch them parading around town.

 

I colored this with Photoshop.  I wanted to show the earthiness of camping.  I've been camping quite a bit since moving to Massachusetts.  This is Shawmee State Forest in Sandwich, a part of Cape Cod.  Such big woods for being a couple of miles from the Atlantic ocean.

campfire

 Cooking fire in the woods of Cape Cod.  Firewood is plentiful.

Cape Cod camping

 In the woods of Sandwich on Cape Cod.

Wampanoag Indian dance

The Wampanoag Indians of Mashpee, Cape Cod. This is from a festival last summer. The dancers are excellent and quite entertaining.

Scusset Beach

Rough seas on Cape Cod Bay.

seashell by the seashore

What if future architecture mimicked its landscape?

salt marsh, Cape Cod

Just for fun last week, I randomly selected an address on my G.P.S. Such a gorgeous location! I love the islands of tall grasses, occasionally interrupted by deep blue tidal pools. On the horizon is the Atlantic Ocean. I really love the natural beauty of Cape Cod.

Lobsters galore!

Lobster shacks are everywhere on Cape Cod! I am enjoying me new location on Buzzards Bay. My family roots are right here, and I hope to live here for a long, long time. Art to come soon.