"We can speak without voice to the trees and the clouds and the waves of the sea. Without words they respond through the rustling of leaves and the moving of clouds and the murmuring of the sea." ~ Paul Tillich

I lamented all fall that it seemed that we would not make it to the Cape this year. I have been every year for decades, most of my life in fact, minus the Texas years and a few others. Given how tumultuous this year has been, it just didn't seem that getting to the Cape was in the cards. So, when Bruce suggested that we fit in a few days there while up north between holidays, you can bet that I jumped at the idea.

Our most recent house rental (of a few years), was sold last year, so returning there wasn't an option. Bruce found a lovely bed and breakfast in Orleans, and it worked out just perfectly - in fact, we have booked it for next October.

Our four days were filled with visiting old haunts, eating wonderful seafood, and scoping out some new spots. The only downsides of visiting in December are that a number of the shops and restaurants we might have normally gone to were closed for the season, and - it was really too cold to do the trail walking that we have come to enjoy so much. That didn't stop us from getting out and about though. I am so grateful that we could fit this visit in!

 These first few shots are of the marsh right out the front door of where we used to rent. I just had to go back for a visit.

I have often said that the light on the Cape has a special quality and that the artist, Edward Hopper, captured that light perfectly. Check out his Cape paintings and you will see what I mean. The shots below are of sand dunes near Provincetown. The low-hung winter sky certainly helps - but each scene was more beautiful than the last. I had to really weed my pictures out in order to bring them down to a reasonable number - kind of reasonable!

Heading into Provincetown. 

The Provincetown Christmas tree made from lobster traps.

Lovely scenes.

We spent some time trying desperately to catch shots of the whales near Truro. We'd see the blows, the back, the swirling water. Just trust me when I tell you that a whale is lurking beneath those floating birds!

Some parting shots.