Wellfleet's Library Goes to the Birds

Now that I have your attention .... as I've said before, there’s always something going on at the Wellfleet Public Library. This week library-goers – and non-library-goers – can admire the amazing birdhouses, created by Cape Codders, to benefit the Sampson Fund. If you ever wondered what to do with your bits of old driftwood, collected throughout the winter, here’s a worthwhile activity for next spring: build a birdhouse for a great cause. Examine this replica of our famous Beachcomber Restaurant closely. There are even French fries at the take-out counter! These gems will be auctioned off Sunday, May 3, from 1 to 4 at the Wequassett Resort in Chatham. ($25 pre-registration donation or $30 Day of the Auction.) Even if you cannot make the auction, do stop by the library today or tomorrow to check out the craftsmanship and feel proud of our citizens responsible for their creation, a gift of time and energy to dogs and birds alike.

Town Meeting Okays Wind Turbines & Town Water

Major issues in Wellfleet are decided by town meeting. This week two major issues were on the warrant. A new by-law, allowing the placement of wind turbines, presumably at the White Crest Beach parking lot, passed on Monday. Yesterday night, after a very long discussion, the town voted in favor of extending the municipal water system to serve the downtown district. And, yes, there was debate, lots of it. The debate seemed to go on and on with the usual suspects taking turns at the microphone. I noted the speech by Alex Hay, above, and another by his brother Mac, in favor, of course. Mac revealed Mac's Shack, one of the town's most popular restaurants, has encountered a new, less forgiving attitude on the part of DEP in recent months, and urged town members to embrace water for the downtown. Read all about the vote here. (Yesterday also brought news that the Hay brothers' empire is expanding into Eastham, reported here already, and Provincetown, where they have purchased Clem & Ursies. It is exciting to observe the success of these two young men, assisted by their cousin Sam, and to understand their choice to live, work, and raise families in Wellfleet.) On a more somber note, several members of the Finance Committee resigned during town meeting, disgruntled by what they saw as a lack of respect from Selectmen and town administrator during these difficult economic times.

Saved by the . . . Community Preservation Act!

Sven and I like to wander around the five kettle ponds near our bed and breakfast, especially in fall. We often return to a secluded spot on Northeast Pond, where a particularly lovely modern structure rises above the pond, as if floating on air. This house was once the Kugel-Gips residence. We knew it now belonged to the National Seashore and that all such structures were slated to be demolished. It was, therefore, with a sense of relief that I read today in the Cape Cod Times that rescue for this one house, empty since 1998, is on the way. The deck boards are rotted out, like the teeth of an elderly woman, the paint has chipped, mold is creeping through, so it is really time for a complete rejuvenation. The Kugel-Gips house will be lovingly restored by the nonprofit Cape Cod Modern House Trust of Wellfleet and used to study the Modernist structures here in town, created by architects influenced by German Bauhaus design. For information on the house and local architect Charlie Zehnder, father of our own Ben Zehnder, go here. It's possible to help out personally by making a donation. The Community Preservation Act has provided the first $100,000, but more money is needed. Save Wellfleet's history. Donate today!

Pre-Memorial Day Tease Draws Crowds

What a beautiful day here in Wellfleet and hot, according to Sven! How happy I was to get home after a weekend in the big city! Lots of folks took advantage of this early tease for a pre-Memorial Day trip to the Outer Cape. On Friday, seamen were already putting boats in the water. Restaurants opened all along Route 6. Everyone who came must have been glad they did. Our Green Room guest went hiking on Great Island and left me a note saying she had had a great time. The foliage up in Boston was a week more advanced, and I got sensory overload walking through the crowds in the Public Garden, past a particularly popular flower bed of pink and yellow tulips, the scene of much jostling as Japanese tourists snapped loved ones posed behind the colorful display.

Lighthouse Frenzy

See the lighthouse in the distance, above? I must admit that my thoughts do not often turn to lighthouses, but this week we have a guest from Switzerland whose passion is exactly that, visiting lighthouses, or at least seeing them from the outside if they are not open. She came equipped with a map that shows every single lighthouse along the Cape Cod coast and a book, required reading for lighthouse affectionados, describing the lighthouses of New England. Of course, her first question was where the lighthouses in Wellfleet are located. I was able to tell her that our town used to have a lighthouse, of course, but that someone had moved it to California. It occurred to me that I have never blogged about the former lighthouses of Wellfleet, so here we go. First off, there was once a lighthouse at Mayo Beach, on the harbor, although the house beside it still stands. For a photo of the house with lighthouse, go here and, for a report on its rediscovery, read this Cape Cod Times article from June 2008. Wellfleet also had a lighthouse at Billingsgate, visible here. There should have been a lighthouse on the backshore as well, but the Internet does not provide any clues to where it might have stood, just reference to the Lifesaving station at Cahoon Hollow, now the Beachcomber Restaurant. Wellfleet has a small lighthouse downtown, the one above the Lighthouse Restaurant, to the left above, but, I guess it does not really qualify for our survey. I sent our guest off with my camera so blog readers can see the remaining real lighthouses nearby: Highland Light in Truro, and the lighthouse at Race Point in Provincetown. What an amazing photo she took of the Highland Light! The two ladies returned home, delighted with their visit to the Outer Cape. In Provincetown, they found a print of Cape Cod, with all its lighthouses drawn around the circumference!

Wind Turbines & Warm Weather in Wellfleet

Above is a view of White Crest Beach this winter. Now the snow has all melted, thank goodness! Today the sun is shining over Cape Cod, despite the forecast for rain. This warm weather makes us all feel happy-go-lucky, so this weekend, with its record temperatures, will be perfect for taking in an independent film at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors’ Theater. (WHAT has just announced which plays will be performed this season, so do check out the 2009 schedule while on the site.) Sven and I have already seen Mike Leigh’s Happy Go Lucky. We have always enjoyed Leigh’s films. It is hard to leave the theater after this one without a smile. Wind turbines also put a smile on my face, so I was delighted to hear details of the project to place three wind turbines at White Crest Beach parking lot during the CED meeting Tuesday. Today's Cape Cod Times reports on President Obama's Earth Day speech about offshore wind turbines. The wind turbines along the coast of Denmark always made me feel powerful. There is a by-law on the town warrant to permit them here in Wellfleet, and I hope it will pass. The Energy Committee speaker, Jim Sexton, experienced with wind turbines, told us White Crest is one of the best sites he has ever seen. Sven and I watched hang-gliders from New Hampshire last week as they swooped down over the White Crest parking lot, enjoying one of the most perfect locations for hang-gliding in New England, and were able to witness the power of the wind. How awesome if it could be harnessed and provide power for the municipal buildings in Wellfleet and other Cape towns!

Quiet Mind Studio Holds Yoga Retreat This May!

Need to quiet your mind? Head for Wellfleet in mid-May for the yoga retreat at Quiet Mind Studio. As a child, Zack Dixon never could have imagined that one day he would teach yoga in the old red building, right across the street from home, but when a gallery gave up its lease, friends urged him to seize the moment and turn the space into a new community-oriented wellness center, which is exactly what he did. Local builder Andrew Parkington created a large room with pillars and arches. Yoga practitioners access this room via a long corridor and anti-chamber where they discover detailed descriptions of Quiet Mind masseuses (three permanent and up to ten in summer) and sign up for yoga classes. Further inside the building is a central desk, between two massage rooms, where Zack coordinates events. Wife Settie suggested the color scheme for the main room beyond: saffron walls with butter-cream trim, silver-grey ceiling, and dark cherry floors, purple mats and sign, which all contribute to the incredibly peaceful atmosphere and sense of well-being. When I spoke to Zack, he sat at his computer, creating flyers for the upcoming Yoga Retreat. I admired a drawing by his daughter on the bulletin board, as well as greeting cards and recent press. Quiet Mind Studio is doing quite well, indeed, as it starts a third year of operation. Zack took up yoga seriously in 2000. He chose Iyengar yoga and trained with Patricia Walden in Boston. Zack had taught yoga for six years in Wellfleet, and many of his students followed him to Quiet Mind. Around ten people attend a typical session in the off-peak months. Forty have been known to sign up for a single class in summer, but the usual number is twenty. Zack says that striving for continuity is a challenge with yoga practitioners of different levels coming and going. This is one of the reasons Quiet Mind is offering a Yoga Retreat, Escape to the Cape, May 15, 16, and 17. Gift certificates are also available for massage and body work. For more information, visit Quiet Mind Studio. Zack Dixon is very much in tune with our community and sees the future of Quiet Mind as a venue for meditation groups, stress relief, and writing workshops, as well as, of course, more yoga.

Reflections on Stress and Longer B&B Stays

Stress is known to shorten life. Modern life can be stressful, so we should all seek out ways to avoid stress. A walk by the ocean can relieve stress. There is something about the lapping of waves and the tangy salt air that calms the spirit. I have noticed local service folk often drive their trucks to the ocean between jobs, or during lunch, like the two truckdrivers above. Just seeing the ocean from a distance is enough sometimes. Life in the city can be even more stressful than normal everyday life as a carpenter or town hall employee. We frequently receive guests who choose Chez Sven because it is so quiet and peaceful here. Bed & breakfast inquiries often include reference to the need to get away from it all. Translate that, enough stress already! Just yesterday came the following email: "A spur of the moment get-the-Hell-0ut-of-Dodge for a couple of days just came over us. Please let us know if you can accommodate a couple needing to spend a day walking on some sand." Now the problem with this request is that the writer could only stay one night. Sven and I do not like to do one-night-stands because they involve as much work as two-night bookings and leave innkeepers dissatisfied. Chez Sven is not about buzzing in and buzzing out. Even two nights are not really enough to totally cool down and relax. We prefer to have time to interact with guests so they do not become a blur in our minds. I usually suggest people down for one night stay at a motel. We much prefer three nights, and four is even better. This lovely young couple, over from England for a friend's wedding, spent three nights here last week. The longer period allowed us to get to know each other better. We even have weekly guests who have become friends over the years. The experience of staying at a B&B is different from staying at a hotel because innkeepers are welcoming strangers into their home. I have noticed that British culture provides guests from the UK with a deeper understanding of the bed & breakfast experience than American culture, where staying in someone's home has not been accepted for as long. I remember one couple from New York who simply wanted to sit on the bench outside at night and stare at the stars, much brighter than in the city. So, I guess, in conclusion, Chez Sven can be compared to a great massage: guests leave feeling relaxed and stress-free!

Support Preservation Hall This Spring!

Going out to eat this spring? Wellfleet Preservation Hall is raising money, and several local businesses are participating in fund-raisers for our new community center, so don't miss out on the opportunity to support WPH. Moby Dick's Restaurant will contribute a portion of proceeds from lunch and dinner every Thursday in May. Finely JPs is organizing a dinner dance on May 1st. The buffet dinner from 6 to 8 costs $20. $15 provides access to the dance floor, with a real DJ spinning records, a highly unusual event for Wellfleet, so plan to bring your dancing shoes and sign up early. May 24th, the John Jorgenson Quintet will perform at the Congregational Church. (Jorgenson is known as one of the pioneers of the American gypsy jazz movement.) The concert starts at 8 p.m. This same church will resonate with chamber music on July 18th, 9 pm, with a benefit performance by IBIS that will follow a champagne reception. Can't wait for these events? Attend Tea & Tulips today, Sunday, April 19th, 4 to 6, at a spectacular art-filled private home for a contribution of $25. Tea & Tulips sold out last year, so reserve now by contacting Nicholas at Wellfleet Preservation Hall dot org. If you cannot make any of these events, you can still support WPH by making a tax-deductible contribution here.

An April Day in the Life

Sven has switched our headquarters to the Studio with the advent of warmer temperatures, so I set about cleaning Liberty Coin Suite first thing. Impetus was the desire for photos for the new Web site, as well as the opportunity to book Liberty Coin in May as well as our Green Room and cottage. The cottage is still available this weekend, so I did a little email dance with two different prospective guests, a bit like the bunny hop, fancy steps to either side, only with the final hop backwards. Perhaps the couple now ensconced will decide to stay? After lunch, Sven and I took a drive out towards Great Island to soak up some beauty. The above photo is taken from Chequessett Neck Road. After realizing the Volvo was low on gas, we circled back to town, filled the car, stopped home to check emails, and headed out again. We picked up our Wellfleet 2009 Guidebooks at Seaside Liquors and went to the beach for a walk. By now, the time was half past two. Not much accomplished for the B&B so far! Last week we had multiple bookings, as if folks had suddenly awoken to the fact summer will soon be upon us. Warm weather shakes people up that way. I told Sven about the evening meeting organized by the town regarding water, an important issue, which will be on the warrant, and told him I intended to attend. I headed outside then to transplant some myrtle, and Sven sat down to read Swedish news on the computer. Half an hour later, I came back in to check email. There were five messages for me. And, that is when my day took an unexpected turn. I opened the email from the literary agency cautiously, expecting another rejection. Whoa! What’s this? A personal message from the agency president herself. I stared at the words and especially “representation.” That was when I started jumping up and down. Within the hour, I had spoken with the agent and learned how much she loves the proposal for my book. I cannot tell you what a long road I have followed to reach this point. Just yesterday I was thinking that being gay must feel something like wanting to be a successful writer. You do not do it on purpose. It is just the way you were born. The agent is sending a contract over the weekend. Yippee!

Latest photos of the Newcomb Hollow Shipwreck

When Sven and I went to Newcomb Hollow yesterday, of course we checked on the shipwreck. We had visited a week ago, so it surprised us to see more changes. Sand once again covered some of the exposed beams. Based on the footprints, we could tell the site remains an attraction to tourists and locals alike. With the weather improving, Wellfleet's shipwreck will continue to draw visitors, eager for contact with a bit of history in this disconcerting period of our existence when celebrities get book deals, newspapers are going out of business, and the major concern of CNN seems to be a race to see whether Larry K. or Ashton K. has the most followers on Twitter.

Local Encounters

Gull is one of the best ponds in New England when it comes to trout fishing, according to a veteran trout-catcher named Kent whom we encountered by the shore yesterday, two rods firmly planted, one in a picnic table, the other in a cement block. “Once I caught a three-pounder,” he said proudly. When I asked about the risk of mercury, he shrugged and told us how he had almost died of a heart attack six weeks ago, so mercury? "Pouf! Not a worry." What's more, Kent explained that the pond had been stocked less than a month ago with 500 brook trout and 500 rainbow trout, all swimming around out there, hoping to unhook his bait rather than get caught. With a slow gesture, he indicated they had the whole pond to themselves, moving his hand from north to south, and shrugged again. At that point we noticed two other men, fishing from a small boat. Sven asked what Kent uses for bait. He showed us manufactured treats for fish that looked like yellow marshmallows cut in half. The bait comes in all colors, but apparently trout prefer yellow. That’s all Kent feeds the fish. Now, I have not been totally honest when I said we "encountered" a fisherman. When you have lived here for a dozen years, it’s hard not to run into people you know. Kent hailed me, and I recognized him as someone who used to work with our electrician. It was four by then, and chilly by the pond, so I suggested to Sven that we continue on to Newcomb Hollow Beach where we ran into Wellfleet’s plumbing inspector, out walking his five-month old puppy, Zeus. I know Steve from my town hall days, so we started chatting. He told us a lot of people are hurting in town. No one goes out to eat anymore. Restaurants are having a hard time, something I have noticed from the erratic schedules of which days which restaurant is open. (Recommending places to eat to guests has become a challenge. Wicked Oyster has even been offering a $20 four-course prix fixe for the past two weeks.) Steve volunteered to take a photo of the two of us. Sven asked about Steve’s Greek background, and the two proceeded to discuss Greeks who had lived on the west coast of Turkey, where Steve’s grandfather was born. What a mixture of people make up Wellfleet’s population!

On Having Missed the Water Commissioners ...

Whoops! Today I should have reported on yesterday's EDC meeting, but I forgot to go! My goodness. Too much going on, with the season starting, that it slipped my mind. The Wellfleet Water Commissioners spoke, and I would have loved hearing them as Town Meeting prepares to vote on acquiring a water system for the downtown district. We will be hearing more about water in the weeks, months, and years to come, a natural resource that almost everyone takes for granted. Above, yet another view of Dyer Pond, one of the parts of town that has really clean water, and which could be considered as a possible location for the new pump. There's a meeting Thursday evening to discuss the water situation, among other things. I will try to attend. If I am blogging early today, it's because I must prepare breakfast for the guests, then hightail it to Hyannis with Sven. One of the definite disadvantages to living in Wellfleet is the necessity of driving 45 minutes whenever the services of a specialist are needed. To save gas, we try to combine errands on trips down Cape. Today we will hopefully accomplish Sven's check-up, shopping at Trader Joe's and a follow-up visit with Social Security to sign him up for Medicare.

Another Benefit of Turning Down the Thermostat

WHAT's upper lobby features paintings by local school children. The images were all so lovely that I did not know which wall to photograph. Last week Sven and I enjoyed an independent movie at our favorite local theater. What we did not enjoy was the temperature. The next time we go, I will know to dress appropriately. It was hot in that theater! Not all theatergoers may have felt the same way. I have discovered temperature to be an acquired taste. When I married my Swede, I would lament his throwing open the windows at night in the dead of winter. Now I cannot imagine sleeping in a stuffy room. Owning a bed & breakfast constantly reminds me how people have established their own comfort levels, be it 62 or 72 degrees. Fortunately for guests, Seagull Cottage and our new Green Room both have their own thermostats. But, cooler temperatures may not be all bad. The New York Times brings news that lower temperatures could help with fat loss, and, after a long winter, we all need to lose weight. Three studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine point to "the potential of 'brown fat' - a k a 'good fat' - to burn calories and generate heat." This afternoon, in an effort to burn some of those calories, we took a brisk walk to Dyer Pond, more pristine and clear than ever.

Wellfleet on Easter Morning

As the sun rose over Wellfleet on this chilly Easter morning, shellfishermen had already been hard at work for hours, despite the bitter cold northwest wind, and were starting home with bushels of oysters jammed into the backs of their trucks. The tide was quickly covering the flats when I arrived at the harbor. A few pedestrians were about, wrapped in scarves against the wind, but otherwise the town seemed deserted. Cars packed the Congregational Church lot for the ten o'clock service, and colorful Easter eggs swung from the branches of a Main Street Easter egg tree.

Change Is On The Way

Instead of looking out the window at today's rain, let's contemplate changes, as does this tourist, determined to make the most of her day at the beach. I photographed her last week and could not resist this ultimate image of relaxation and contentment. She was the only person on the beach. Note the bottle of wine and placement of the umbrella, just in case. This person has attitude. She is ready for anything. Speaking of changes, this will be one of the last photos I post taken with my old camera. My son has provided a fancy hand-me-down from Sony, and I cannot wait for the sunshine to try using it. Other changes are in store as well. He is busy working on a new Web site for the bed & breakfast. Not that there is anything wrong with the old one, but my son likes change and is very modern. So, stay tuned. Soon I will place the link here.

Perfect Weather for a Bike Ride

“Wellfleet is rural. Chez Sven is known for its hospitality and warmth. Our bed & breakfast is the perfect place to relax, your home away from home, the ideal spot for a holiday.” Did you know that the above four sentences use words that Europeans think of when about to search for accommodation in the United State? This weekend we have guests from Britain in the cottage and folks from Sweden in the Green Room. It is still too cold to offer Liberty Coin Suite, and we had to turn two couples away. We feel fortunate to have so many requests for accommodation. Many B&Bs in town are not doing as well. I do work at it, though, with a presence on two Chambers, four directories and one Web site abroad. Today I called Finely JPs to ask if the restaurant would join us on a weekend package mid-May with a coupon for dinner and discovered the owner reads the blog, which is always slightly disconcerting but gratifying, too. She agreed, so I will provide details of this healing/wellness special here soon. We commiserated about the crazy economy and how it affects business. Lots of diners in local restaurants tonight with non-residents down, as well as hungry tourists. It's supposed to rain tomorrow but the weather was balmy today, perfect for a bike ride or a stroll along the harbor.

Tulips and Pinwheels in Wellfleet

Glorious weather here in Wellfleet today! I immediately went out to inventory the garden. There seem to be a lot of perennials that did not make it through the winter, and rabbits have decapitated the tulips behind the cottage. I knew this might happen, but planted them anyway. The ones in front of the house survived (above). Only the tulip at the far left bottom seems to have had nibbles. The folks at Children's Cove solved this problem by planting pinwheels, rather than tulips, to symbolize the 200 children who were abused on the Cape over the past year alone. The display is the first thing drivers see as they turn left at Main Street into town.

Birthday Walk

What a storm we had overnight! This afternoon the clouds finally parted and the sun came out for my birthday. Unfortunately, Sven and I had to spend many hours doing errands in Hyannis. Upon our return, we hightailed it down to the beach where water on the shore shone like molten steel and the sand sparkled as we walked along, a beautiful sight and exactly what we needed.

Does Your Pond Have Frogs?

Yesterday night Sven and I watched Nature on PBS. The program was about the disappearance of frogs. While the first part described a fungus that is killing frogs throughout the world, the second part documented deformities discovered in frogs that live in ponds and streams polluted by drugs, which have seeped through septic system walls into the ground water. I am always staggered when I watch scientists sounding the alarm like this and the media does not even blink an eye. One of the main culprits seems to be estrogen from birth control pills. The implications of what this means to humans? Draw your own conclusions! Frogs were also featured in the Cape Cod Times. Spring is late this year, but, according to the article, Cape Cod ponds have not yet lost their frogs. I did not hear any frogs the last time we went to Great Pond, but we did see a turkey!

Update on Newcomb Hollow Shipwreck

What an amazing day! When the sky is this blue, one forgets that it rained almost all last week and will rain tomorrow and the next day. This afternoon Sven and I headed for Newcomb Hollow Beach, where Nate Chapman filmed last month and where the shipwreck is still visible. We had not been down since the middle of winter. The National Seashore is organizing a walk on Tuesday, April 21 at 2 PM, to view the shipwreck with a ranger. Here is the description: "Cape Cod is known as the 'Graveyard of the Atlantic,' with over 3000 recorded wrecks. Occasionally, the skeleton of one of these old wrecks is thrust up on the beach, only to be covered again by sifting sands. Over the past year the bones of a 19th century wreck have appeared, been buried, and reappeared. Will it be buried, or exposed on April 21?" Today April 5, there was more bones to see than the last time Sven and I inspected. So cool!

Bits & Pieces

• Comcast has stranded millions of customers without email capability today while the company responds to a major threat to computers. So, anyone who contacts me will not receive a reply until Comcast reestablishes service.
• The Wilkins Ice Shelf is poised to break away from Antarctica. Wilkins is the size of Connecticut, or about half the area of Scotland. Yikes!
• Last night's Larry King Live was about autism. No one has been able to figure the reason for the increase in cases worldwide. How sad!

How to Write A Good Blog

Blog readers, yesterday's blog was Wellfleet Chezsven's 500th post! Pretty amazing. This spring blogs are popping up faster than the daffodils. Castle Hill even offers a course “designed to introduce students to the blogging experience,” above. The write-up does not specify that attendees will depart with a silver key that opens the door to blogger renown. They will simply examine history/impact and receive a "thorough grounding in the technical aspects of setting up.” Blogging hopefuls, be forewarned! Not everyone can become a successful blogger. First off, you need to know how to write well. Second you must be able to interest an audience. I find that blogging is very similar to live radio broadcast, my absolute favorite job of all time. You create a personal statement, send words out into cyberspace, and thus communicate with strangers who react or do not react, depending upon circumstance. Being able to write does not guarantee success as a blogger. For me, a successful blog is steady in content from day to day, has a subject, and sticks to that subject. Too many people blogging think daily life will interest perfect strangers. Not true! While some daily-life-kinky blogs may titillate the masses, what works best, in my opinion, is to pick a subject that allows lots of embroidery. Establish the pattern and follow it. Fortunately, the canvas I chose is broad. Bloggers must come up with a new topic for every post. Sometimes I base a blog around a photo. For instance, this image of sand bags by the harbor could have been the starting point for 500 words about survivors of Katrina relocated to Cape Cod or preparation for hurricanes or even flooding in Fargo,if I could relate it somehow to the Outer Cape. Good blogs provide food for thought, which explains the incredible success of political bloggers over the past four years. Good blogs also have humor. Each post should be a stand-alone unit. Not everyone can pull this off and keep readers returning for more. I used to do radio in France. The boss at my first radio job told me, “Be relevant and irreverent.” That’s what I keep in the back of my mind and purposely use a voice meant to entertain. Note, I do not receive press releases or tips from reporters or go out of my way to track down stories. Instead, I offer whatever life sends my way, as long as it relates to being an innkeeper at a green bed & breakfast, fortunate enough to live in beautiful Wellfleet.