Cape Cod and the Islands magazine » Summer 2020

LOOK TO THE STARS

Stargazing in the summer sky.

CAPE RESTAURANTS

Businesses pivot to help their communities.

AT HOME IN EDGARTOWN

A family receives a warm island welcome.

SUMMER 2020

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SUMMER 2020

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EDITOR

SUMMER 2020 K E L LY C H A S E Editor-in-Chief ERIC BRUST-AKDEMIR Creative Director / Publisher REBECCA BANAS Advertising Account Executive FAT I H A K D E M I R Managing Publisher MARIA ALLEN L I S A C AVA N A U G H LISA CONNORS COURTNEY GOODRICH BILL HIGGINS COURTNEY LINCOLN LANNAN M. O’BRIEN S A R A H WA L D M A N LAUREN WOLK C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r s ELIZABETH CECIL M AT T C O S B Y JULIA CUMES MICHAEL & SUZ KARCHMER PAU L S C H A R F F BETTY WILEY R YA N Z I P P Contributing Photographers DAW N O R V I S Proofreader / Fact-Checker CAPECODANDTHEISLANDSMAG.COM

@CAPEANDISLANDSMAG

Cape Cod & The Islands Magazine is published quarterly by Scorton Creek Media © 2020 For subscription inquires or a change of address to P.O. BOX 723 East Sandwich, MA 02537 Subscription rate is $20.00 for 4 issues; $35.00 for 8 issues; $50.00 for 12 issues. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for a new subscription to begin. Printed in the U.S.A. June 2020 Volume 1/Issue 2 For advertising: sales@capecodandtheislandsmag.com To contact us for questions or comments: customerservice@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Dear reader, While my husband and I were preparing for the birth of our daughter last year, I ordered all of the books and talked to all of the parents. During that time, many pearls of wisdom were sent my way, but the one that has been standing out to me lately is “you just have to show up.”

When Covid-19 hit, amid uncertainty, fear, and isolation, local business owners quickly pivoted: Restaurants used their supplies to help their employees and those in need in their towns. Writer Lannan O’Brien and photographer Julia Cumes capture their tales in “Pivoting for Good” (Page 62). Local organizations such as Heritage Museums & Gardens, Highfield Hall & Gardens, and Cultural Center of Cape Cod moved many of their programs to digital platforms. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution all streamed educational programs for children who were at home. Disaster struck and Cape Codders and islanders stepped up to show up.

Now that we’ve reached a new phase, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce shares the good news that the Cape is open for business (Page 18), but local restaurants, hotels, shops, galleries, and museums still have some uncertainty about what the summer will bring. As locals, visitors, friends, and family members, it’s our turn to show up—in the safest way possible. Visit your local restaurants, order takeout, buy your gifts from local shops, continue your memberships, or extend a helping hand in your area of expertise. Many restaurants and stores have established seamless online ordering systems to make it easier to support from afar.

As a locally owned, independent publication, we fully support the Black Lives Matter movement, and we have committed ourselves to listening and learning, and doing our part to eradicate racial injustices in our communities. In this issue, Jeanne Morrison, Susan Quinones, and Paul Thompson share some ways that they are making progress on the local level, and also provide information on how to support the movement (Page 14).

But our coverage won’t end there. We plan on continuing to show up for our community, so that we can help to build a better place now and for generations to come.

Thank you for reading - enjoy and see you soon!

Kelly Chase Editor-in-Chief

Letters to the editor: feedback@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

SUMMER 2020 » 1

CONTRIBUTORS

Courtney Lincoln is an avid reader and

contributor to Cape Cod and the Islands.

She’s looking forward to cooking new recipes from her vegetable garden this summer thanks to locally grown plants from Holly Hill Farm. She plans to serve them alongside Mainstay Bakery’s Country Loaf bread, which is a staple in her house. She and her husband have been enjoying Seabird Coffee at home this spring and are looking forward to visiting another local favorite, Kohi Coffee, in Provincetown this summer.

“SUMMER READS,” 12.

Lisa Cavanaugh is a lifestyle writer for

Cape Cod and the Islands. While staying at home this spring, she has appreciated getting friendly delivery of delicious organic food from Rory’s Market & Kitchen in Dennis Port and has ordered a few jigsaw puzzles from Puzzle Me This in Provincetown—both of which made hanging in the house much more enjoyable. Lisa can’t wait to head out on clear nights this summer to do a little stargazing, putting into action some great suggestions from the Maria Mitchell Association and Observatory on Nantucket.

“A GUIDE TO STARGAZING ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS,” 28.

Bill Higgins is the retired sports editor of

the Cape Cod Times, which gives him more time to play with his four young grandchildren.

This summer he’s looking forward to reconnecting with friends on the golf course, enjoying the local music scene, and, after spending time with Lou MacKeil, hopefully caching a few more fish.

“THE JOYS OF FISHING,” 38.

Puzzle Me This

Chatham Bars Inn Farm Stand

Scottish Bakehouse

Matt Cosby is an editorial photographer

living on Martha’s Vineyard with his wife and their two cats. Matt enjoys getting takeout from his favorite breakfast and iced coffee spot, Scottish Bakehouse in Vineyard Haven. Inspired by his time with Lou MacKeil, Matt recently had his fishing rod set up by Dick’s Bait & Tackle in Oak Bluffs and can’t wait to spend his time out on the water.

“THE JOYS OF FISHING,” 38.

Lisa Connors

is the editor of Chatham Living by the Sea. She has spruced up her backyard this summer with bright red geranium hanging baskets, marigolds, and dahlias from Chatham Bars Inn Farm Stand. When she isn’t running the wooded trails or bike path across the Cape, she can be seen frequenting many coffee shops, restaurants, and clothing stores in Chatham.

“RUNNING WITH NATURE,” 44.

Maria Allen is a writer and lifelong Cape

Codder. She is also the editor of South Shore Home, Life & Style. For this issue, she wrote about social distancing in nature and she plans to explore more local walking trails with her family this summer. Maria enjoys going for bike rides along the Cape Cod Canal and looks forward to sipping Rose Mermaid Water at the Cape Cod Winery in Falmouth.

“SENSE OF SPACE,” 46.

Courtney Goodrich is a lifestyle

Truro Vineyards

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writer, editor, and stylist. She lives on the South Shore and loves visiting Cape Cod both in the summer and in the off season with her husband and daughter. As a museum lover, Courtney has the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster high on her summer to-do list, especially exploring its salt-marsh trails. She is also excited to check in on her favorite home and gift stores, such as Adorn in Orleans and drive up to Truro Vineyards to stock up on a few bottles red.

“AN ISLAND WELCOME,” 52.

CONTRIBUTORS

Julia Cumes is a photographer and

frequent contributor to Cape Cod and the Islands. She’s been enjoying fresh brews and meeting with friends and clients in the beautiful new gardens at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters. This summer, she plans on doing some long paddle-boarding adventures with her partner and dogs, hiking in the Province Lands dunes and trying out the new restaurant Fare and Just Kitchen in Brewster where she lives.

“PIVOTING FOR GOOD,” 62.

Elizabeth Cecil is a freelance

photographer living on Martha’s Vineyard.

She has been getting creative in the kitchen these past few months thanks to the island farmers. Her favorite new recipe is a chocolate chip cookie made with island-grown einkorn from Lost & Found Grain. She is excited to get to the beach this summer with her family and pick up picnic provisions from North Tisbury Farm.

“SUMMER BEACH BRUNCH,” 72.

Lauren Wolk is a novelist, poet, artist, and

associate director of the Cultural Center of Cape Cod. She has continued to work full time from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, completed a new book, started another, and planted a Victory Garden (which the rabbits are enjoying immensely) with supplies she ordered from Hyannis Country Garden.

Lauren plans to spend time this summer glamping in the mountains of Maine that inspired her latest novel, Echo Mountain.

“WRITER’S SHACK,” 78.

Lannan O’Brien is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in several local newspapers and lifestyle magazines, such as The Enterprise newspapers, South Shore Home, Life & Style and Falmouth Living. She and her fiancé can’t get enough of the Greek food at Mashpee’s Estia, and when bars reopen, you’ll find them enjoying beers and burgers at KKatie’s in Hyannis. She’s excited to serve delicious seafood from the window of their brand-new Seafood Sam’s food truck in Sandwich, set to open this summer.

“PIVOTING FOR GOOD,” 62.

Michael & Suz Karchmer are

Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters

The Mayflower Shop

Harwich-based photographers who love to capture the people and places of Cape Cod through their images. Their shared specialties include theater, performance, studio portraits, and iPhone photography. Since moving to the Cape in 2007, they’ve given much of their time to supporting community organizations.

For this issue, they visited West Barnstable Tables and Mid-Cape Home Centers.

“125 YEARS IN BUSINESS,” 24.

Betty Wiley is a photographer for Cape

North Tisbury Farm

Hyannis Country Garden

Cod and the Islands, and she shot this issue’s cover of Highland Light. When not out photographing the night sky and other subjects, Betty has been ordering delicious take out from Grill 43 in Yarmouth Port, which is near her home. She is also an avid gardener and has been buying annuals and perennial plants at the Country Garden in Hyannis.

She is looking forward to shopping at The Mayflower Store in Chatham where they have a great collection of items for the home as well as gifts (you can find Betty’s work there, too!).

COVER AND “A GUIDE TO STARGAZING ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS,” 28.

SUMMER 2020 » 3

Stunning Views, Amazing Museum & Special Events

JOIN WITH US TO COMMEMORATE THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAYFLOWER’S ARRIVAL We Hope to Re-Open the Monument and Museum as soon as it is safe to do so!

For more information and the latest updates about the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum or the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Pilgrim’s first landing in Provincetown...

Visit www.pilgrim-monument.org and www.provincetown400.org

1 High Pole Hill Road, Provincetown, MA 508–487–1310 www.pilgrim-monument.org

Four Showrooms

For our complete selection of furniture visit: www.westbarnstabletables.com

Trestle Table made from Antique Pine wallboards with stairway images and stealth orbs.

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Boat Shape Trestle Table in Tiger Maple with a Cherry Base.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE

P28. A GUIDE TO STARGAZING

P34. FALMOUTH ROAD RACE’S AT-HOME EDITION

P38. THE JOYS OF FISHING

P72. BREAKFAST AT THE BEACH

P52. AN ISLAND WELCOME

P46. PLACES OF SOLITUDE

P24. CELEBRATING 125 YEARS IN

P26. EXPERT TIPS ON DESIGNING

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BUSINESS

WINDOW BOXES

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY JULIA CUMES

SHOP LOCAL 8 / SUMMER SELECTIONS

BOOKS 12 / Summer Reads

COMMUNITY

P62. Pivoting for Good Manuel Ainzuain and Shayna Ferullo in the garden at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Brewster.

The new space, designed and maintained by Stephan Brown of Great Cape Herbs, offers an additional place to gather for coffee and food.

14 / A Step Toward Equality 16 / A Tribute to the Cape League 18 / Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce 20 / West Barnstable Tables: 50 years in Business 22 / Drive-in Theater Resurgence 24 / 125 Years of Mid-Cape Home Centers 26 / DIY Window Boxes for the Season

LIFE + STYLE 28 / A Guide to Stargazing on the Cape and Islands 34 / Falmouth Road Race’s At-Home Edition 38 / The Joys of Fishing with Lou MacKeil

WELLNESS 44 / A Healthy Run Through Nickerson State Park

CAPE COD CORNER 46 / Five Places to Rejuvenate Your Soul

HOME 52 / INTERIOR DESIGN A family gets to know the island they love.

58 / REAL ESTATE

FOOD & DRINK 62 / IT TAKES A VILLAGE Cape restaurants adapt to new ways of doing business and help their communities along the way.

70 / Where to Buy Farm-Fresh Produce

RECIPE 72 / A Summer Beach Brunch

WRITER’S SHACK 78 / The Work of Local Poet Deirdre Grace Callanan

FINAL THOUGHT ON THE COVER

80 / Lessons on Small Space Living from a Submarine Pilot

Highland Light at night, captured by photographer Betty Wiley.

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Shop S U M M E R S E L E C T I O N S

Shop Local Doors along the region’s many main streets are propped open, and business owners are looking forward to welcoming customers into their brick-and-mortar locations once again. Many shops have used their time in quarantine to renovate and restock, and we’ve enjoyed perusing their latest inventories. Even if you’re unable to visit local shops this summer, many locations, including these establishments, offer online shopping. Here are a few fun items available in stores and online now.

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A. Beachcomber Rose, $125 Slyk Shades slykshades.com B. Old Favorite trucker $24.99 JAKS, Chatham 508.348.1193, dflax.com C. Terry fleece crossover hood $89.99 JAKS, Chatham 508.348.1193, dflax.com D. Sterling silver fish cuff bracelet and matching ring.

The East Wind Silver Co., Chatham 508.945.2470, eastwindsilver.com

Local Expertise. Exceptional Results.

Donna DiCostanzo Sales Associate

445 Main Street | Falmouth 508.472.0012 donna.dicostanzo@sir.com Falmouth | Osterville | sothebyshomes.com/capecod Based on Cape Cod & Islands MLS data total volume sold by office for 1/1/18-12/31/18.

E. Local Flavor including wood box $60 Wish Gift Co., Sandwich 888.978.9474, facebook.com/wishgiftco F. Nantucket: Classic American Style 30 Miles Out to Sea $50 Local bookstores on the Cape and Islands, instagram.com/nantucketclassicstylebook

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Shop S U M M E R I T E M S

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G. Framed Find You Print

by Michael Dubois $22.00 Elburne, Dennis 508.694.5536, elburne.com H. Navy Canvas Weekend Duffel Bag $138 ACK 4170, Nantucket 508.680.1777, ack4170.com I. Shell Mosaic Bottle Opener $14.99 Elburne, Dennis 508.694.5536, elburne.com J. Nantucket Chart Tray $78 ACK 4170, Nantucket 508.680.1777, ack4170.com 10 Âť capecodandtheislandsmag.com

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K. Signature Craft Bucket for Kids $28 Littlenecks, Dennis 508.470.0270, littleneckscapecod.com L. Nantucket Basket Woven & Pearl Earrings $88 ACK 4170, Nantucket 508.680.1777, ack4170.com

SUMMER 2020 » 11

BOOKS ELIN HILDERBRAND’S

28 Summers

For many readers, summer means it’s time to hit the beach with the essentials: a comfortable beach chair, SPF, and a new Elin Hilderbrand novel. In mid-June, Hilderbrand’s newest novel, 28 Summers, was released just in time to kick off the summer reading season. Based on Nantucket, 28 Summers follows the complicated romance between Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud, and how their decades-long affair alters their lives and the lives of those around them. The story is rich with the nostalgia, romance, and island atmosphere that Hilderbrand writes so well.

Hilderbrand fell in love with Nantucket in 1993 and has lived there for 26 years. Many of the New York Times bestselling author’s novels are based on the island and inspired by its residents and visitors. Hilderbrand is a mother to three, a breast cancer survivor, and an avid home cook. 28 Summers is her 25th novel.

CLASSIC East of Eden

BY JOHN STEINBECK Set in California, this highly readable, page-turning classic chronicles the lives of two families in a powerful retelling of the story of Adam and Eve that pairs perfectly with a cold drink on a hot summer day.

NONFICTION Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers

BY ERIN BENZAKEIN, CHRIS BENZAKEIN (PHOTOGRAPHER) WITH JULIE CHAI A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein, founder of Floret, a familyrun flower farm, treats readers to a comprehensive guide for growing, arranging, and harvesting over 200 varieties of flowers paired with beautiful photographs by partner Chris Benzakein.

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BY COURTNEY LINCOLN

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

BOOKSELLER Main Street Books in Orleans Village is a bright and cheerful bookstore owned by Don Krohn and Janice Brennan. The couple opened the shop in 2004 alongside their organic grocery store, Orleans Whole Food Store. Built on the belief that local bookstores play an important role in community, Main Street Books is a beloved local business and a must-visit destination.

Main Street Books 46 Main St., Orleans

BOOK NOOK Stop by Chequessett Chocolate for a sweet treat on a sunny (or rainy) day. Featuring handcrafted chocolate produced in small batches, the confections are made with sustainably grown cacao beans and ethically sourced ingredients. Browse the well-curated gift shop while enjoying an iced café mocha and chocolate of your choice from the cafe. Must tries: Mass Bay Milk Bar, Peppermint Patties, and Chocolate Covered Apricots.

Chequessett Chocolate 8 Highland Road, North Truro

FICTION

A Long Petal of the Sea

BY ISABEL ALLENDE Isabel Allende’s A Long Petal of the Sea explores themes of hope and love in the midst of tragedy as a young widow and an army doctor emigrate to Chile after the Spanish Civil War forces them to leave behind the place they call home.

READING RESOURCES Readers who are looking to access books remotely can visit their local library’s website on how to sign up electronically for a library card. Many libraries offer access to digital books and collections through free apps like Libby, Overdrive, and Hoopla. More information can be found on the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing site (info.clamsnet.org).

Support your local bookstore

Evvie Drake Starts Over

BY LINDA HOLMES If you haven’t picked up Evvie Drake Starts Over yet, this charming debut novel set on the coast of Maine is the perfect summer romance read about two people living very different lives who are both in search of new beginnings.

Readers who would like to support a local, independent bookstore can sign up for a Libro.FM membership, which allows members to buy audiobooks directly through the independent bookstore of their choice. Visit libro.fm for more information.

Beach Read

BY EMILY HENRY This summer novel is a rom-com with depth that follows jaded romance writer, January Andrews, and discouraged literary writer, Augustus Everett, who meet in a small beach town on the shores of Lake Michigan and strike a deal that will challenge what they believe about life and love.

SUMMER 2020 » 13

BOOKS

NANTUCKET:

Classic American Style 30 Miles Out to Sea Liza Gershman and Carrie Culpepper are authors of the newly released book, Nantucket: Classic American Style 30 Miles Out to Sea. We spoke with them about their inspiration for their book, and their journey capturing and writing about the style and spirit of islanders.

Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

We both fell in love with the island, its beauty, lifestyle, and community of interesting and entrepreneurial people. When Liza and I met we connected on the fact that of all the books written about Nantucket, most focused on history or nature, but none had covered the lifestyle in all its beachy, nautical, preppy, outdoorsy, philanthropic wonderfulness.

Can you share with our readers a little more about classic American style and why you chose to document it on Nantucket?

Nantucket is a jewel box of classic style. The lifestyle lends itself to docksiders and boat totes, blue blazers and colorful sundresses in a way that’s authentic and easy, not forced in an aspirational way like you might see in other places. There are people on the island who’ve developed their personal style and lifestyle based on weather and sport and fundraisers and necessity over generations—and they happen to beautifully exemplify classic American style.

Liza, your images are beautiful. Can you tell us a little more about your photography and what your goals were when shooting this book?

Thank you so much. It was essential to us that the images tell the Nantucket story as much as the text. We carefully thought about topics that we would describe in prose versus imagery that was compelling enough to share the essence of the island in a single frame. Including photographs of multi-generations was as essential as including people from every walk of island life. Texture is a large part of Nantucket decor, down to the cobblestone streets and ruddy shingle exteriors, so capturing that was as necessary to inform the reader’s eye as anything and everything else. It was a joy to photograph a place and people that I hold so dear to my heart.

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Liza Gershman and Carrie Nieman Culpepper

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Did you come across any unforeseen challenges?

What about photo shoot miracles?

The biggest miracle was the last day of the season! I’d really wanted to do something special with the word Nantucket and had been dreaming of photographing the lifeguard staff.

Of course, because they manage many beaches and are absolutely essential all day on the job it was quite difficult to schedule. At last, the season had slowed down and we had about 17 minutes to get everyone onto the sand spelling out the beautiful island name. So much thanks to Aiden Bourke, our wonderful intern, for his help with that!

Carrie, we loved reading through your and Liza’s stories. What were some stories that stand out to you from your research and writing?

I loved the poetic stories of people like artist Melissa McLeod, who had been sailing around the West Indies when she sailed into Nantucket harbor and jumped ship to stay. Many islanders talk of being drawn to the island by unexplainable forces. As someone said, the island repels people who don’t belong, but things fall into place for those who are destined to be there. Jean Roux, one of Liza’s interviews is an island environmentalist, who found a bike, job, and house in the span of an afternoon when she arrived. For her, the island was meant to be. That magic alchemy rang true for us and this book project as well.

We also appreciate the determination of Nantucket’s many entrepreneurs, who must work hard during their very condensed earning period, such as Captain Jim Genthner who runs tours on a beautiful sailboat he built and aptly named The Endeavor. There is a widespread feeling that it is a gift to be on Nantucket and most everyone works very hard, not only to be there, but to make it a culturally rich place, and to uphold its history and landscape. Not many places in the world have such passionate guardians.

Did you learn anything that surprised you along the way?

The island’s long history of female entrepreneurship dating back to the whaling days when women ran the island while the men were out to sea for years at a time. The island continues to be full of womenrun businesses from shops, to artists, hoteliers, and restaurateurs and they feel a comradery with one another, and a connection to that incredible 200-year legacy.

Also, the island’s early history of Quakerism, which served as a breeding ground for a leading suffragette and female scientist, and laid the foundation for today’s progressive social landscape on the island.

Will you be hosting any book events?

We have begun a “Nantucket Talks” Instagram Live series of interviews with some of the influential and interesting people in the book. And plan to have a few other virtual events through the summer. Sadly, we had to cancel a whole host of events we had planned along the East Coast and on the island this spring/summer.

We are postponing our live events to this winter and summer 2021.

The book is available for presale on Amazon and at the island bookstores (and bookstores across the country).

Follow the authors on Instagram at @nantucketclassicstylebook @culturefixed and @liza.gershman

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COMMUNITY

A step toward

EQUALITY

BY LANNAN M. O’BRIEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIA CUMES Jeanne Morrison’s grandmother used to refer to her black skin as “a touch of the tar brush,” an old expression referring to people of mixed racial heritage. “If you have it, you’re going to have to learn how to compensate for that,” she says.

Living with black skin, particularly in a majority-white area, means battling the system of racial inequality that is built into the framework of our society, a fact that has become the rallying cry of protests across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death by a Minneapolis police officer. Activism has spread beyond police brutality with protesters calling for systemic change, including support for black-owned businesses, which face a greater list of challenges to build and maintain success. “There is a disproportionate share of the wealth in public dollars, and black and brown people are at the bottom,” says Morrison.

A member of the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission, among other local activist groups, Morrison speaks from personal experience as a woman of color. There is raw emotion in her voice as she describes everyday situations in which her skin color has impacted how she is treated by law enforcement, pharmacy technicians, and even staff at a local ice cream parlor. “I know what people can do and how far people can be pushed to the limit,” she says.

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When it comes to starting a business, she says, black entrepreneurs are expected to play the game with “less than a full deck of cards.” Many lack economic capital as the first generation of wealth in their families, and when seeking business loans, are required to pay a higher interest rate with stricter terms than white business owners. Even the rent for their office or retail space might be higher. “One of the significant issues is that it’s not as simple as ‘Pull yourself up by the bootstraps’ when you don’t even have the boots,” says Morrison.

One of the ways people can influence systemic change is by intentionally supporting blackowned businesses in the area. Since retailers and restaurants began to open their doors in Phase II of Massachusetts’ plan for reopening, posts calling for the names of black-owned businesses to visit have been circulating on social media. (A list will be available on Cape Cod and the Islands’ website.)

In addition to locals frequenting black-owned businesses, attorney and Barnstable County Human Rights Coordinator Susan Quinones of Mashpee advocates for support by town officials and those involved in the regulatory process.

For instance, she says, “If two ice cream parlors serving the same kind of ice cream [are seeking approval], and one is owned by a white person and the other by a black person, I say let’s give the black-owned business a chance.” Recalling her own involvement in protests in the 1960s, Quinones notes that more women and people

In early June, peaceful marches and protests took place across the Cape and on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Pictured here are scenes from the march in Orleans.

of color—herself included—have assumed leadership roles in the courtroom. But, she says, “The change is slow, and we have to put the pressure on when there is unjust action.”

Conversation and open-mindedness can make a difference, as evidenced by a recent meeting of the advisory commission and the police chiefs on the Cape and Islands. Together, they addressed police brutality and racial profiling, and discussed identifying officers’ racial bias prior to hiring to attempt to prevent racial profilings from occurring. A member of the advisory commission, Paul Thompson—who is also involved with Falmouth’s No Place for Hate and serves as vice president of NAACP’s Cape Cod chapter—has been involved in similar meetings with local police departments over the years. When asked if he feels that they listen, he says, “I think they hear me, and sometimes they get it.” But he keeps talking, inviting others into the conversation, and then something clicks where it didn’t before.

REGIONAL RESOURCES The Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission meets monthly and all are welcome to attend. barnstablecountyhrac.org Falmouth’s No Place for Hate sponsors talks, presentations, film and book discussions throughout the year. npfhfalmouth.org Cape Cod’s Chapter of the NAACP meets monthly in Hyannis. capecodnaacp.com

SUMMER 2020 » 15

COMMUNITY

Silent this summer,

BUT THE JOY OF CAPE LEAGUE BASEBALL WILL RETURN

BY BILL HIGGINS » PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL SCHARFF

The fabric of a Cape Cod summer is a comfortable

is the jarring message: Season Canceled See You in

patchwork quilt of blissful scenes: sunshine, swimming

2021. Amid the frustration of self-quarantines and

and sand dunes; festivals, fairs and fireworks; beaches,

social distancing, these fields of dreams—places of

backyards and barbecues. And baseball, of course.

communion and hardball heaven for so many—are

The Cape Cod Baseball League has been a

empty and silent.

cornerstone of the season since the 19th century. The

But there is no crying in baseball. This is a game of

league traces its roots to 1885 so the perfect symmetry

failure, of coping with adversity. The best hitters are

of emerald-green grass diamonds has been woven

only successful 30 percent of the time. Pitchers often

into the tapestry of the peninsula for generations.

miss their target and errors are made. The best teams

But not now, not in this summer of discontent derailed

win only a few more than half their games.

by Covid-19.

And so the Cape League will endure and return next

There is no joy in Mudville, or in Orleans, Chatham,

season with the sweet sounds of summer echoing

Cotuit or the other seven franchises that comprise the Cape League. The mighty Casey at the bat struck out

through twilight evenings. The thwack of the bat, the thump of the ball will speak to us again like James Earl

and the Covid-19 pandemic struck down the nation’s

Jones’ Terence Mann character in Field of Dreams:

premier summer collegiate baseball league. Opening

“Baseball has marked the time. This field, this game,

Day was set for June 13, but in late April the league’s

it’s a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was

executive committee voted unanimously to cancel the

good and that could be again. Oh, people will come …

season. There were too many challenges to overcome;

people will most definitely come.”

understandably the health and safety of everyone was

Indeed, the league will carry on through the selfless

the primary concern.

dedication and tireless energy of hundreds of

The news was a jolt, albeit not unexpected. The league

volunteers. The young players come and go, chasing

website still includes a daily schedule of games into

rainbows on their way to the bright lights of The Show

August. However, now, stamped in cranberry-red,

in the Major Leagues. It is the men and women who

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work passionately year round to provide the stage for these boys of summer. They are committed to their communities and the foundation upon which the league thrives. Cape League Strong.

The Cape League is ramping up its social media platforms and online postings to

The league stirs memories for many. A young man has a first date,

keep fans engaged and looking forward

sitting beyond the outfield fence at Chatham’s Veterans Field.

to the summer of 2021. Already, the

Grandparents, moms, and dads stake out grassy seats in Orleans

league website (capecodbaseball.org)

on a banking down the right field line. Kids play catch behind the

has links to podcasts with managers

backstop in Cotuit and chase foul balls for cookies or ice cream in

and former players. There’s a story

Harwich.

on the best first basemen of all-time,

In the aftermath of the decision to cancel the season, the Cape

including Frank Thomas, who went

League posted on its Facebook page an opportunity for fans

from Orleans to a 19-year all-star career

to share “What the CCBL means to you.” There were dozens

with the Chicago White Sox and then

of responses, including poignant photos of host families with

the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The

players, their adopted summer sons.

league plans to stream past games of

This is the CCBL, where emotional bonds are forged that last a lifetime. This pause in the action will not last forever. If there was a star-spangled anthem of the league, it could well be Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”:

note on its website, Facebook page and YouTube channel throughout the summer. The Cape League Hall of Fame class of 2020 will be announced this summer with the induction ceremony

Leave behind your sorrows/Let this day be the last/Tomorrow

planned for November. The league also

there’ll be sunshine and all this darkness past.

has a merchandise store and is selling

Casey at the bat went down swinging in that timeless poem, but

facemasks with the CCBL logo. Proceeds

that’s baseball. No matter. There will be better days. There will be

will benefit small businesses on Cape Cod.

joy again in the Cape League.

SUMMER 2020 » 17

COMMUNITY

The Cape is Open to All We are facing a new kind of summer on Cape Cod. To learn more about how to stay safe and enjoy the season, we spoke with Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and facilitator of the Cape Cod Reopening Task Force, who says the region is open for business. She advises people to Wendy Northcross “pack their patience” as new protocols will be CEO of the Cape Cod implemented at their favorite spots, and she Chamber of Commerce is also hopeful for a prosperous June for local establishments who are coming off of a tough spring.

Can you share with our readers a little more about what they can expect to see as the region begins to reopen this summer?

We’ve been advising people to “pack their patience” this summer, as you’ll likely be asked to make reservations for dining so that you can be accommodated safely—or you may find yourself in a well-spaced line at the ice cream parlor. And you may want to consider eating out earlier or later than you might normally, so that the businesses can maximize their reduced number of tables available—and to help them stay in business! This is all related to the restaurant guidelines to accommodate social distancing. We also think you’ll find some new and fun ways to experience your favorite “haunts,” whether it’s one of our village centers that have closed a portion to vehicle traffic in order to accommodate more foot traffic or outdoor dining or outdoor retail sales. Places like downtown Hyannis are planning drive-in movies this summer, which sound like fun.

Are there restrictions on who can come enjoy beaches, restaurants, and hiking and biking trails of the Cape this summer?

No restrictions. The Cape is open to all!

How can locals and visitors keep communities safe?

The simple steps are becoming quite well-known: wear a face covering, wash your hands frequently, maintain social distancing of six feet, and stay home if you feel sick. We also ask that you try to use your iPhone Wallet to pay in contactless ways if able, or use a credit card versus cash.

Also, try going to the beach in the late afternoon, when it is likely to be less busy, and bring a picnic dinner—take-out of course!

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What are businesses doing to keep patrons safe?

Our businesses and organizations will practice the four simple steps mentioned before as well as maintain prescribed cleaning and disinfecting. These simple but proven steps should keep us healthy and safe! Each type of workplace or activity has specific guidelines to follow based on how they interact with their customers and whether they have indoor or outdoor places of business.

This has been a difficult period for many businesses on the Cape, what is the Chamber’s outlook for the summer and beyond? What can readers do to help?

The Cape and state had forecasted a seven percent increase of business this summer versus 2018 levels (the last year for which we have direct-spending data). Now we are looking at variations of anywhere from 20 to 40 percent in lost business. We are hopeful we can make some of the lost business up with a strong June, which may be possible as families are not tied to the school schedule for traveling, and there is a strong desire to get a change of scenery after a spring of staying at home. And we hope that everyone will make an effort to shop local, visit locally, and support local businesses and jobs.

What do you love about summer on Cape Cod? What are you looking forward to this season?

I love the beach and the long days—reading on the back porch, swinging in the hammock, walking the trails. This summer I’m looking forward to carving out some time to do a little bit of each!

For more information on the Cape Cod Chamber, visit capecodchamber.org and reopening Cape Cod reopeningcapecod.org

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COMMUNITY

Making Furniture

BY HAND for Half a Century

WEST BARNSTABLE TABLES CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL KARCHMER At 82 years old, Dick Kiusalas of West Barnstable Tables is still working and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. “My work makes me want to get out of bed every morning,” he says. “I don’t understand what retirement is about.” In 1970, Kiusalas started his company, West Barnstable Tables, with his then-business partner Steve Whittlesey. “We wanted to create really unusual studio furniture,” he says. That’s exactly what they did and what Kiusalas has continued to do for fifty years.

Since its founding, West Barnstable Tables has evolved, and today Kiusalas works with a number of other artists and craftsmen out of his 1920s cranberry-processing barn. Using antique woods, such as northern red pine, eastern white pine, American chestnut, and oak, and also new hardwoods like cherry, black walnut, and tiger maple, the team at West Barnstable Tables work through commissions or creative inspiration to design and build tables, hutches, and other heirloom quality furniture by hand.

DICK KIUSALAS

As his company’s anniversary approaches, we asked Kiusalas a few questions about his business:

How did you get started in the business 50 years ago?

I was an advertising manager for a few weekly newspapers in Connecticut. Then I got a chance to come down to the Cape and do the same job and I thought that would be great. I really didn’t enjoy the deadlines.

I enjoyed the creative aspect of the work—the design, copywriting, and photography, but I really wanted to do something new, something with my hands.

My father-in-law got a pile of wood, old chestnut, and I made a dining table out of it. I received a number of compliments because of its unusual design and character. My neighbor was Stephen Whittlesey who wasn’t happy with his job either. He had a master’s in fine arts, and he decided to join me to start West Barnstable Tables. We started making furniture and moved into the cranberry-processing barn in 1976.

Where do you get your materials?

In the beginning, we’d find a lot of our wood. When they were taking down the telephone poles along the Cape Cod Railroad, we used the cross pieces with chestnut and some beams from an old building. I used to tear down buildings and boats and anything made of wood.

I can’t do that anymore, so I buy my wood from people who salvage wood from other buildings. We work with old wood, which is my favorite, like northern red pine, eastern white pine, American chestnut and oak. But we also have craftsmen here who work with new hardwoods such as cherry, black walnut, box elder, butternut, tiger maple, and bird’s eye maple.

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What is it about working with old salvaged wood?

I enjoy working with old salvaged wood because of the color and patina from years of use in another life. Over time, because of oxidation, antique wood changes color, and it’s beautiful and really can’t be replicated by people. I also find inspiration from the wood’s previous purpose; whether it was salvaged from an old house barn or a boat, its shape, color, and distress of the wood help me decide what I’ll create.

STEVE WHITTLESEY AND DICK KIUSALAS

Any great stories about where your materials came from?

I’ve worked with antique pine salvaged from Kurt Vonnegut’s study. His daughter and her husband, who remodels and builds homes, came in and asked for some antique oak. He said he would trade me for wood that came out of Vonnegut’s study here in Barnstable. I made a free-standing cupboard on wheels, and I called it “Dr. Hoenikker’s Cupboard for Ice-9.” I thought it was apropos considering he wrote Cat’s Cradle right next to this wood.

I’ve also worked with wood salvaged from Edward Gorey’s barn collection. So many of these pieces come with stories, and when I know the story, I try to build whatever I’m going to build while thinking of the previous owners and what they’d approve of.

Outside of the shop, what do you enjoy about life on the Cape?

I just love it here. I moved so many times in my youth, so when I came to the Cape, I found a place that I loved, and I stayed. I love the beaches and ocean and quahogs. It’s a great place to live.

It’s fun, plus it’s an art community and that helps my furniture business.

West Barnstable Tables is open for business this summer.

Stop by the showroom at 2454 Meetinghouse Way (Route 149) in West Barnstable, which is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. westbarnstabletables.com SUMMER 2020 » 21

COMMUNITY

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

The first drive-in theater on the Cape was an open air cinema built in the late 1940s in Dennis, which facilitated not only cars but small planes as well. Through the next decade, four additional drive-in theaters would open in Falmouth, Hyannis, Yarmouth, and Wellfleet, giving Cape Cod visitors and residents a chance to see new and classic movies from the comfort of their own cars.

By the mid-1980s however, the era of the drive-in theater was mostly over, with only the venerable Wellfleet DriveIn remaining open on the Cape. Land values, the rise in home entertainment, the vicissitudes of weather, and even the widespread adoption of daylight saving time, which moved screenings to later in the evening, all combined to substantially reduce the number of drive-in cinemas across the country.

However, now in the time of coronavirus, drive-in theaters are seeing a bit of a resurgence as film lovers are embracing the chance to see movies in the secure confines of their own vehicles. For John Vincent, co-owner and president of the Wellfleet Drive-In, new protocols have meant adjusting his business model to sell tickets virtually, limit the car count capacity, and reconfigure the Dairy Bar to offer snack favorites, all of which will allow for social distancing. “In this first phase of reopening, the goal is to offer something fun for people to do, so they can get out of their houses,� he says.

Across the Sound on Nantucket, another organization is launching a brand-new drive-in, responding in a similar

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fashion to the desire to go out to the movies. Housed in the renovated historic Dreamland Theater, the Dreamland Foundation is a cultural nonprofit, which has been offering island residents and visitors a wide variety of performances, lectures, classes, and other activities, including movie screenings every day of the year. “We had just come off our most successful year and were looking forward to an incredible summer when Covid-19 hit,” says Executive Director Joe Hale. Quickly assessing that the interest was there, the organization pulled together plans to find a location for a drive-in theater somewhere on the island. “We realized that we would not be able to allow people inside the building,” says Hale, “So we thought, okay, what about an old-fashioned drive-in?”

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After launching a successful GoFund-Me campaign, which brought in over $180,000 from nearly 500 year-round and seasonal residents, the foundation has settled on a site at 7 Nobadeer Farm Road for the Dreamland Drive-In. “We expect that between 60 to 100 cars will be accommodated,” he says. Hale says that they are trying to be as creative as possible, with plans for themed movie nights, food trucks, and gourmet picnic basket pick-ups, to allow attendees to gather safely this summer and enjoy a night at the movies. “Our mission is to build community on Nantucket year-round by bringing people together to share experiences through culture,” says Hale, who hopes the Dreamland Drive-in will remain a permanent addition. “I have been so gratified by how generous the Nantucket community has been in helping to support this,” he says. “This is truly an incredible place.”

SUMMER 2020 » 23

COMMUNITY

YEARS IN BUSINESS Mid-Cape Home Centers celebrates 125 years of doing business on the Cape and beyond this year. We spoke with Marketing Director Crystal Pieschel about the organization’s past and its hopes for the future.

Orleans; 1957

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL KARCHMER Congratulations on the anniversary! One hundred and twenty five years is a long time. Can you share with our readers a little bit about how the company began in 1895?

Thank you. We do have quite a rich history. Our company, which now services the Cape, islands, and all of the South Shore, began as a small lumber yard in Chatham with only three team members.

In 1895, Oscar C. Nickerson was captain of a schooner off the coast of Cape Cod, and he decided to settle down with his family and purchase a local lumber yard in the area. Oscar had previous experience with lumber as ship cargo, so he was knowledgeable about the industry. He and his family grew the business along the railroad, and passed the legacy on for generations.

Today, Mid-Cape Home Centers has six locations— Orleans, South Dennis, Wellfleet, Falmouth, Martha’s Vineyard, and Middleboro. Tell us more about MidCape Home Centers of today. What does it provide for the region’s home design community?

Simply put, Mid-Cape provides an “Experience that Builds.”

We are committed to constantly evolving in order to better serve the local market. We currently offer everything from building materials, such as windows and doors, siding, and decking, to architectural support teams, product experts, firstclass delivery services, and complete kitchens complimented by in-house designers. We regularly evaluate our services, as well as the products and brands we partner with, so we can make sure we’re always passing on the best to builders and homeowners alike.

From your team’s perspective, how has the home design industry changed on the Cape and islands in recent years?

CRYSTAL PIESCHEL

Original location 1895 24 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Across the country, the Cape is a well-known style of home. The rectangular shape, steep roof for shedding the harsh New England elements, a centered door, and a central chimney in the heart of the home. While the classic shingles and large windows will always be a staple on the Cape and islands, the architecture and design in our area is ever-changing. We continue to be amazed at the quality craftsmanship and creativity of the builders and architects we work with. Local builders, architects, and homeowners are pushing the limits to create original works of art that manage to boast the traditional Cape Cod themes while encouraging growth and development among the building community.

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STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: Peter Furia, Jack Stevenson, Joe Solecki, Dale Simmons, Rich Grout, Stephen Zbell, Scott Romer, David Fetterman, Mark Stallsmith.

FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Linda Hutchinson, Leah Fennell, Crystal Pieschel, Will DeMaida, Rene Lessard - Reiss, Carly Thielman

We saw that MCHC has over 200 year-round employees. What draws your employees to MCHC and what do the majority of your employees do?

I think it’s a combination of our team culture and strong values.

Our values shine through in everything that we do. From “do the right thing” to safety and teamwork, being part of the MidCape team just gives you a good feeling about what you do every day. Many employees have been here for over 20 years, and more and more young professionals are seeing Mid-Cape as a great place to start or grow a career.

As far as what the majority of employees do, we have a wide variety of positions: account managers, delivery drivers, material handlers, hardware, customer service, contractor sales, accounting, kitchen designers, and the list goes on!

We enjoyed learning about your Truck-for-a-Cause campaign. How did that get started and what organizations has MCHC supported through the effort?

A team member and I were brainstorming on new ways to display the company’s commitment to local organizations and causes. We thought, what better way to be a positive voice and show support to the community than by using our 75-plus truck-delivery fleet that drives across the community every day. That was in late 2018, when Cape Cod Village was getting ready to break ground right in our backyard in Orleans. Those

diagnosed with autism need support from local community members. We decided to dedicate the first truck to autism awareness, and had it wrapped just in time for the Village’s groundbreaking ceremony, which was held in our Orleans showroom. Shortly after that, we did a teamwide vote for the next cause, and supporting veterans took the lead. We also have many veterans on our Mid-Cape team, so it was a natural fit. We wrapped two trucks in honor of veterans. We’ve raised money for Support Our Troops, the Falmouth Fund, and first responders. Currently, we have six Trucks-For-a-Cause across our locations, and we’re not done yet!

Lastly, what do you enjoy most about operating a business on the Cape and islands?

The community is unlike any other. There is a genuine sense of closeness and shared commitment to local businesses, and a mentality of being there to support each other that is truly organic and special.

South Dennis; 1970s

Delivery truck; 1926

Wellfleet; 1970s SUMMER 2020 » 25

COMMUNITY

JESSE AHERN ON DESIGNING WINDOW BOXES On Nantucket it’s easy to be enchanted walking up Main Street past the rows of gray-shingled homes, and in the summer, many of the well-manicured plots burst with color from gardens, potted plants, and window boxes. These cascading arrangements that so elegantly add lushness to the Grey Lady, can require extensive upkeep, and that’s where Jesse Ahern of Gauvin Gardens comes in.

Ahern was born and raised on Nantucket and got started in the landscaping business in the late 1990s. In 2005, she launched her own company, Gauvin Gardens, which handles the installation and maintenance of gardens, window boxes, and containers for islanders. From late spring until Christmas, Ahern helps add a touch of natural whimsy to homes. “Summer window boxes are my absolute favorite,” she says. “There are just so many different possibilities and they have the longest shelf life, lasting from Memorial Day through Columbus Day.” We decided to enlist Ahern’s expertise in arranging a window box for the DIY crowd. Here are her five tips for beginners:

1 Consider sun exposure.

Before selecting flowers, determine how much sun or shade a window box is going to get throughout the day.

Professionals at local nurseries can guide you in the right direction. “There are more flowers to choose from if your boxes are in the sun,” says Ahern. “A lot of my clients prefer a more pastel palette, but I’m always able to add my personal aesthetic, which is a lot of bright and dark colors mixed together.”

And boxes located in shadier spots can be fun too. “You can use New Guinea impatiens, which are hardier, or rex begonias mixed with ferns and coleus to add texture.”

2 Choose the right combination.

Spend time looking through books on flower gardens or visit a nursery to decide your preferences. “When I’m designing for new clients the first thing I ask is if there are any colors or flowers that they don’t like, and that helps guide me in the design,” says Ahern.

According to Ahern, a window box needs a certain amount of variety in color, height, and texture. “You always want to plant tall, upright annuals in the back and use trailing plants in the front,” she says. Her choices of upright flowers include angelonia, plectranthus, and ornamental grasses, and her favorite trailing flowers, include verbena, dichondra, lantana, and ipomoea.

For more information on Gauvin Gardens, visit gauvingardens.com 26 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

She also advises using the same amount of foliage and flowering plants, such as ipomoea, succulents, or lysimachia. “Too many flowering plants next to each other can be too much, but by mixing flowering and foliage plants, you can achieve an elegant, structured look,” she says.

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3 Lay it out first.

Using measurements from each window box, Ahern works with plastic containers, which allows her to design the boxes back in her greenhouse, and also makes for an easier cleanup at the end of the season. Starting with the middle of the back row, she designs in a peak—with the tallest design in the back, and then working her way out to the edges, she alternates between grasses and foliage plants and flowers. “Personally, I like the boxes to seem like they are overflowing,” she says. “It can also get too busy, so as I’m arranging, I like to step back and make sure it’s right.”

4 Stay on top of maintenance.

If you’re not able to actively maintain your window boxes, stay away from plants that require deadheading, such as petunias and daisies. Also, make sure you’re watering your plants the correct amount—typically twice a week and more during hot stretches. “We maintain our clients’ window boxes by watering and deadheaded each week,” says Ahern. “Without this maintenance it can cause the annuals to stop flowering, and too much water can rot the plants as well.” She also fertilizes every two weeks to keep the plants happy and fed.

Another tip she offers is to drill holes and put a layer of small rocks in the containers for optimal drainage. Also, if a plant has stopped flowering, it could mean that it requires more deadheading, but if its flowering period has ended, don’t be afraid to replace it with another variety.

5 Have fun with it!

“It’s a lot of trial and error, but it’s a lot of fun when you get the hang of it,” says Ahern. “Get started by using flowers that you really love and play around it and see what works. It can be daunting when you go to the nursery but start simple and over time, you’ll get a knack for what works for you.”

SUMMER 2020 » 27

Life + Style S TA R G A Z I N G

A GUIDE TO STARGAZING ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

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Photographer Betty Wiley captures night falling over Salt Pond in Eastham.

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Life + Style S TA R G A Z I N G

Renowned American astronomer and author Carl Sagan firmly believed that we humans are all “made of star-stuff” and that we can know ourselves best by looking at the cosmos. After a long spring of spending so much time indoors, taking the opportunity to find a dark, quiet spot somewhere on the Cape Cape, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket to gaze upwards at the moon and constellations may be just the ticket for reaffirming our connectedness to the universe.

Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, and without distracting light from major urban centers to mask the nighttime view, Cape Cod is an ideal stargazing locale. There are numerous places across the Cape and on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard that can prove to be ideal for spending a clear evening looking at the sky.

Peter Kurtz, a member of the observatory staff of the Cape Cod Astronomical Society, which sponsors regular public “star parties” at the Werner Schmidt Observatory at Dennis Yarmouth High School, recommends heading to any of the National Seashore beaches at dusk on clear nights. “Plan to observe the sky either from the parking lot or go down to the beach itself,” says Kurtz. “ Hearing the surf crashing in the dark adds to the fun.”

The National Seashore beaches, include Coast Guard and Nauset Light in Eastham, Marconi in Wellfleet, Head of the Meadow in Truro, and Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown. Kurtz advises calling the National Park Service or visiting the National Seashore website to confirm which parking lots will be open after dark this summer.

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Highland Light in Truro by Betty Wiley

A philosopher once asked, “Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?” Pointless, really...” Do the stars gaze back?” Now, that’s a question.

— Neil Gaiman

On Nantucket, the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is the island’s center of astronomy. Born on Nantucket in 1818, Maria Mitchell was America’s first professional female astronomer, who, while serving as the Nantucket Atheneum’s first librarian, discovered a comet through a telescope, and the association named after her continues her educational work.

“We are the observatory on Nantucket, so we feel this is the best place to come to see the night sky,” says Dr. Regina Jorgenson, the association’s director of astronomy. The Loines Observatory at 59 Milk Street Extension is usually open in the summer every Monday and Wednesday night from 9 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., clear-weather permitting, for a guided tour of the night sky and telescopic observations of the moon, planets, nebulae, galaxies, and more.

But since the facility has been closed for several months due to Covid-19 precautions, Jorgenson recommends that interested stargazers check the MMA website regularly for updates. “We are hoping that we will be able to open some of our facilities at some point in the summer, but of course, I can also suggest finding any dark outdoor spot with limited to no lighting,” she says. “On Nantucket we are really lucky because the island is surrounded by beaches, almost all of which fit that description.”

SUMMER 2020 » 31

Life + Style S TA R G A Z I N G

The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff. — Carl Sagan

Coast Guard Beach in Eastham by Ryan Zipp 32 Âť capecodandtheislandsmag.com

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Jorgenson stresses that it’s very important to minimize light pollution when trying to observe the night sky. “Any sort of light, either from improperly shielded street lamps, to front porch lighting, to mobile phones, will ruin your night vision, making it very difficult to impossible to see relatively faint objects in the sky.” She cautions that it can take your eyes about five to seven minutes to become adapted to the dark, so you will want to avoid looking at your phones or any other lighting when you head out to observe the stars.

Whether you find yourself at the National Seashore, on Nantucket, or have made your way to one the region’s higher vantage points, such as Gay Head cliffs on Martha’s Vineyard, be sure to plan for some of this summer’s more interesting astronomical events (see sidebar). Dr. Jorgenson suggests to watch out for Jupiter at opposition on July 14 when the planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and will be fully illuminated. “This is the best time to observe Jupiter, and even binoculars will do for seeing it,” she says.

Jorgenson also urges stargazers to seek out the Perseids meteor shower on the night of August 11 into August 12.

“This is one of the best meteor showers,” she says. “You can see up to 60 meteors per hour.”

No matter how you seek out the stars this summer, and there are approximately 2,500 to 5,000 in our galaxy that are visible to the naked eye, remember much of what we can see is light from the past. The three bright stars that make up the so-called Summer Triangle, (which can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere throughout the summer months) Altair, Vega, and Deneb, are 16.7, 25, and 2,600 light years away from earth, respectively. Gazing at the starlight created years ago may help us keep perspective about any challenges we are facing today and the magnitude and beauty of the night sky can inspire us for the future.

Summer 2020 Astronomical Events JULY 5: PENUMBRAL LUNAR ECLIPSE A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse, the moon will darken slightly but not completely.

JULY 14: JUPITER AT OPPOSITION Jupiter is at its closest approach to Earth and fully illuminated.

JULY 20: SATURN AT OPPOSITION Saturn is at its closest approach to Earth and fully illuminated.

AUGUST 3: STURGEON FULL MOON Early Native American tribes referred to the August Full Moon as the Sturgeon Full Moon because the large sturgeon fish of major lakes were more easily caught at this time of year. Other names for this full moon, include Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, and Barley Moon.

AUGUST 11 AND 12: PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER A meteor shower is actually pieces of comet debris heating up as they enter the atmosphere and creating bright bursts of light in a path across the sky. The Perseids is best observed after midnight.

Photographs courtesy of the Maria Mitchell Association and taken through the observatory’s telescope.

For more information and updates: capecodastronomy.org mariamitchell.org SUMMER 2020 » 33

Life+Style R OA D R A C E

FALMOUTH’S COURSE CHANGES BUT THE IMPACT DOES NOT.

BY BILL HIGGINS

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he 48th New Balance Falmouth Road Race was scheduled for Sunday, August 16, with all the trappings that make the weekend a centerpiece of summer. However, after the coronavirus pandemic halted everyday life, the organizing committee faced a challenge for chaotic times. Their creative solution: a unique “At Home Edition.”

The seven-mile race, with 12,800 entered, including worldclass athletes side by side with other competitors, typically begins in Woods Hole and ends in Falmouth Heights. But not this year. Instead, Falmouth 2020 will be a virtual event.

Runners — and walkers for the first time — will create their own race on their own course.

At Home Falmouth begins August 15, the birthday of the late race founder Tommy Leonard, and continues through August 29. The emphasis is on “At Home.” Participants are encouraged to do seven miles in their neighborhoods, not on the course. The golden anniversary 50th will stay on track for August 2022.

“Running at home, together but apart, is the best way for all of us to show that we care about Falmouth — the town, its people, the race, and its tradition,” says Scott Ghelfi, president of the race board of directions. “Tommy Leonard wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Registration opened May 18 and 6,400 were processed the first day. It’s expected upward of 9,000 will take part.

Falmouth’s commitment to the community will also continue. Numbers for nonprofits, which generates millions for charitable organizations, remains part of the event.

In addition, $25,000 worth of gift cards will be awarded randomly to help local businesses; $5,000 will be donated to Cape Kid Meals, a program for students; and proceeds will again fund college scholarships. The SBLI Kids At Home Challenge will encourage children to run at least seven minutes and complete seven assignments for Super Hero status and gifts.

“Unprecedented times lead to unprecedented opportunities,” says Ghelfi. “This gives us the opportunity to bring some fun and a sense of purpose to a summer of some uncertainty.”

To that end, we wanted to reflect on the beloved race and share seven stories for seven miles with an eye toward 2021.

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Life+Style R OA D R A C E

1.

FIRST AND FOREMOST:

The inaugural race in 1973 was labeled a marathon, but the fun run bar to bar, from the Captain Kidd to the Brothers 4, was actually seven miles, not 26. Less than 100 gathered on a rainy Wednesday afternoon and the merriment lasted into the evening. It was humble beginning to what is now a signature race.

2.

JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON

BILL RODGERS

GOLDEN OLDIES:

Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers are 72. Joan Benoit Samuelson is 63. They are Hall of Famers and celebrated legends. The race committee is hopeful they’ll also be an important part of At Home 2020. Shorter, Rodgers, and Samuelson were at the forefront when Falmouth came of age. Rodgers won the second race in 1974, upstaging Olympian Marty Liquori, and became “Boston Billy” by winning the Boston Marathon in 1975. Later that summer, he helped recruit Shorter to Falmouth. Shorter’s gold medal marathon run at the 1972 Munich Olympics inspired Leonard to create this race as a fundraiser for the high school girls track team. With Shorter here in 1975, alongside Rodgers, the burgeoning running world took note. Shorter won the duel and beat Rodgers again in 1976. Rodgers won in 1977 and ’78. If Shorter and Rodgers are kings of the road, Samuelson is queen. The First Lady of Falmouth made her mark as a teenager in 1976 and went on to become a six-time champion.

Samuelson stamped herself forever in the annals of the sport in 1984 by winning the first women’s Olympic marathon at the Los Angeles Games.

FRANK SHORTER

3.

SPANNING THE GLOBE:

ROD DIXON 36 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

GRETE WAITZ

Falmouth began the decade of the 1980s with a wellestablished reputation. However, it officially became a global happening when Norway’s Grete Waitz and New Zealand’s Rod Dixon were the first international champions in 1980. As nations boycotted the ‘80 Summer Olympics to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, Falmouth proved a perfect alternative and Waitz and Dixon were worthy champions. Waitz was only 57 when she died of cancer in 2011. Dixon, now 70, was one of the most versatile runners ever, an Olympic medalist at 1,500 meters and a New York City marathon champion.

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LORNAH KIPLAGAT

4.

WORLD CLASS:

The foreign flavor continued in 1983 when Joseph Nzau of Kenya was the men’s champion. This signaled the start of domination by East Africans. Since Nzau’s victory, 22 Kenyan men and 16 Kenyan women have been victorious. Kenyans still hold both course records: Gilbert Okari set the men’s mark of 31:08 in 2004 and Lornah Kiplagat’s 35:02 in 2000 is the women’s standard. As for Nzau, he returned in 1987 but dropped out midway through. He tried to hitch a ride from the pace car but was left to find his own way to the finish.

DAVE McGILLIVRAY

5.

BRIAN SALZBERG (left)

IT TAKES A VILLAGE:

The resume of race director Dave McGillivray includes author, motivational speaker, accomplished endurance athlete, and philanthropist, helping raise more than $50 million. He’s also the Boston Marathon director. He sees his role in Falmouth as conductor of a finely tuned orchestra and caretaker of tradition.

Given the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, McGillivray and his team have the rare opportunity to enjoy Falmouth 2020 “At Home” as participants.

And looking to 2021 and beyond? “The comeback is always stronger than the setback,” he says.

6.

FACES IN THE CROWD:

Now more than ever, Falmouth remains true to its roots as a run for all comers.

Brian Salzberg, distinguishable by a long, gray beard, is a 77-year-old professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. Despite nine surgeries, including three craniotomies for benign brain tumors, he’s one of only four to finish all 47 races. He plans to run again, virtually of course.

7.

SOUL AND SPIRIT:

Tommy Leonard, who passed away in 2019, will always be the emotional heartbeat of Falmouth so beginning the At Home Edition on his birthday is appropriate. His impact of selflessness endures. T.L. started the Falmouth Walk in 1991 with friend Eddie Doyle in 1991 to support local charities. The 2020 Walk will also be held virtually. And plans continue for an old Falmouth inn to be restored into an “At Home” vacation haven for families and kids coping with cancer. It will be called Tommy’s Place.

EDDIE DOYLE AND TOMMY LEONARD SUMMER 2020 » 37

Life+ Style F I S H I N G

Plus 16 spots to cast a line LOU MACKEIL ON THE JOYS OF FIS HIN G

BY BILL HIGGINS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATT COSBY

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Life+ Style F I S H I N G

It’s a raw spring afternoon on Cape Cod with a biting Northeast wind. It’s a day for inside projects or hobbies. However, Lou MacKeil of North Harwich, wrapped in a nylon jacket and blue cap covering his white hair, is relishing the moment, alive in his element.

MacKeil isn’t a postal worker, but heeds its creed: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

The 83-year-old MacKeil is a fisherman and inclement weather won’t keep him from his pursuits. On this day it’s striped bass in West Dennis; tomorrow it might be trout at a Brewster pond. Morning, noon, or night, any time of the year, he is fishing or thinking about fishing. It’s been this way since MacKeil was a little boy in his native Natick. His first memory is from a December day with his father ice fishing on Lake Cochituate. He was 4.

I truly believe it’s in my blood, I think I have water in my veins, whether it’s fresh or salt. I get restless if I’m not fishing.

— Lou MacKeil 40 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

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“I truly believe it’s in my blood,” says MacKeil. “I think I have water in my veins, whether it’s fresh or salt. I get restless if I’m not fishing.”

He later joined the Cape Cod Salties Sportfishing Club and served eight years as president. He’s still active today as vice president of environmental affairs.

The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t slowed him and social distancing isn’t an issue. He enjoys time alone on the water, content in the solitary chase.

Widely recognized as an authority, MacKeil says fishing is a combination of skill, knowledge — and luck. “You can’t catch fish if you’re not fishing. I don’t sleep much. If I’m awake at night and the time is right, if the tides are right, I’ll go see if fish are there. But you won’t know if they’re there unless you’re there,” he says.

MacKeil spent his teenage years in the early 1950s working summers on the Cape, too busy to fish. After a stint in the air force and time at the University of Massachusetts studying electrical engineering, he opened a television sales and service business in Hyannis in 1964. It was then he returned to the water.

Fishermen are notorious for not revealing favorite locations and MacKeil admits to having secret spots,

Lou MacKeil went fishing for the first time with his father when he was just four years old and now, nearly 80 years later, his passion hasn’t waned. When he isn’t fishing, or preparing to go fishing, he’s teaching others how to fish, and he’s at home on freshwater ponds or saltwater beaches. “You can’t catch fish if you’re not fishing,” he says. “You learn as you go, through trial and error. You have to put in your time.”

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Life+ Style F I S H I N G

but he is unselfish sharing his expertise. Since 1989, he has taught an eight-week “Catch a Fish” course through community schools. The classes include everything from proper gear and techniques to studying wind, water, and tides. Field trips are part of the curriculum and most students—nearly 2,000 he estimates— are successful catching fish. “I don’t have all the answers,” says MacKeil, “but I can get you started. You learn as you go through trial and error. You have to put in your time.”

Kara Pritchett of Dennis was a beginner when she took the course a few years ago and says MacKeil has since invited her to fish with him.

“He’s very generous with his knowledge and enjoyable to be around,” says Pritchett.

After nearly 80 years fishing, MacKeil hasn’t lost his passion. In his younger days he chased big striped bass and fondly remembers what he calls the Night of the Big Fish in the early 1990s when he pulled a 50-pounder from the roiling surf on the north side in Dennis. It was mid-October and after midnight. The wind was blowing hard from the northwest. It was 38 degrees and felt colder. “I was uncomfortable, but the fishing made it worthwhile,” says MacKeil. “There were a lot of big stripers caught, nothing under 30 pounds. That was some of the best fishing of a lifetime. It doesn’t happen often. We were lucky to be at the right place at the right time. I went back the next night, and nothing.”

These days MacKeil doesn’t need epic catches to be satisfied. He’s content having fun fly fishing for small stripers and bluefish, or largemouth bass and trout from the area’s many stocked ponds. “We have it all here. I’ve taken a largemouth from freshwater near Craigville Beach, walked a few hundred yards and caught stripers in the saltwater. That’s the treasure of fishing on the Cape,” he says. “Every day I’m not fishing is an opportunity lost. There’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

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capecodandtheislandsmag.com

GOING FISHING ON THE CAPE AND ISLANDS So you want to “wet a line,” in the parlance of recreational fishing. The unmistakable tug and feel of “fish on” will get the blood pumping. But before trying your luck, you need a license to fish saltwater or freshwater in Massachusetts. There are different permits and fees, and important regulations. Check out the state’s website at ma.wildlifelicense.com for information. Many local tackle shops sell licenses, but online is encouraged, and your time in a fishing store is better spent getting help and advice.

Now you’re ready to chase that trophy trout from ponds and lakes on the Cape and islands stocked by Mass Wildlife. Go to Mass.gov/Trout for a locator map. If saltwater is your preference, there are hundreds of miles of shoreline, inlets, and estuaries along Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds, Cape Cod Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Cape Cod Canal is also a popular and productive spot.

You can hire a personal guide, book a trip on a party boat for deep sea angling or charter a captain. Of course, you can also go it alone and shore fish from a beach, jetty, pier, or bridge. Here are some suggestions if you choose the latter:

SALTWATER

MARTHA’S VINEYARD

West Dennis Beach Dowses Beach, Osterville Cold Storage Beach, Dennis Nauset Beach, Orleans Ballston Beach, Truro

Menemsha jetty Squibnocket Beach and Wasque Point at Chappaquiddick (via the Chappy Ferry from Edgartown)

NANTUCKET FRESHWATER Nickerson State Park in Brewster (specifically, Cliff, Little Cliff, Flax and Higgins ponds) Shubael Pond, Marstons Mills Spectacle Pond, Sandwich

Brant Point Lighthouse (near town and the ferry docks) Smith Point in Madaket Eel Point on the northwest side

Good luck, be patient. After all, it’s called fishing, not catching.

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Wellness R U N N I N G

MY THERAPY:

RUNNING WITH NATURE

BY LISA CONNORS

I arrive at Nickerson State Park at 7 a.m. on a Sunday to meet a friend for a six-mile run. It is a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky. It rained the night before, which created a soft, carpet-like terrain beneath my feet. The peaceful, quiet morning offered an opportunity to recharge, immerse myself in nature and to unplug. Sundays used to be my rest day. But lately, life has been turned upside down—schedules have changed and there are no races on the horizon.

But there’s no better feeling than breathing in the fresh, early morning air, and exploring the trails of Nickerson.

The 1,900-acre state park in Brewster features stunning views, pristine fresh water ponds, lush pine trees, and white sandy beaches. The kettle ponds throughout the park formed when the glacier ice melted more than 10,000 years ago. As you run the hilly trails, you’ll love taking in the gorgeous views of several ponds, including Cliff Pond and Little Cliff Pond. You may even be tempted to jump in! But be aware of the uneven terrain beneath your feet—roots, stumps, rocks, branches, and pine cones. (A small stump in the middle of the trail caught me by surprise and before I knew it I was swept off my feet!)

Lately, it’s been hard to stay motivated without an end goal—I typically have several races scheduled for the summer and fall. But the silver lining during this time of uncertainty is that I have rediscovered my love of trail running and I have pushed myself to try new workouts.

I recently started to participate in Zoom “core” fitness classes twice a week, taught by the always-inspiring instructor Amy Woods. It makes me happy to see my Zoom community every Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Even though we aren’t in the same room, we are together in spirit and working toward the same goal. And instead of sleeping in on Sundays, I now look forward to a date with nature at Nickerson park. Slowly, but surely, I am learning to embrace change—and it has pushed me in new and exciting directions. In many ways, this pause in life has certainly been a blessing in disguise.

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Sizzling Summer Race Series With many races cancelled this year because of the global pandemic, race directors are turning to virtual versions.

Although a virtual race doesn’t have the same energy, crowd support, or traditional start and finish lines, it offers the convenience of choosing your own day, time and route. It could be run on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, your favorite scenic route, or a wooded trail. For this year’s New Balance Falmouth Road Race At-Home Edition, for instance, participants can walk or run the seven miles anytime from August 15 to 29 and then upload their finishing time when complete. The $50 registration fee will get you plenty of swag—and the coveted mug!

For runners who want to keep the momentum going all summer long, the Cape Cod Athletic Club has launched a Sizzling Summer Race Series for club members. You can walk or run just for fun!

Registration is $20 at capecodathleticclub. org (where you can also sign up for membership). There are no medals, but you will get a unique T-shirt!

Race calendar is as follows: June 19-21: Summer Kick-Off 5k July 3-5: Fireworks 5k July 17-19: Boo-Hoo No Brew Run 5.2 miles Aug. 7-9: Not the Falmouth Road Race 7 miles Aug. 28-30: Blast-Off Summer 5k

Follow Lisa Connors’ running journey @capecodmarathonmom on Instagram.

All races must follow social distance guidelines. Map your own course and share pictures of your journey on Facebook!

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CAPE COD CORNER

FIVE BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO REJUVENATE YOUR SOUL WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING

BY MARIA ALLEN

After many weeks of sheltering in place, nothing feels better than taking a peaceful walk in the summer sunshine. Spending time outdoors can have both physical and mental health benefits, boosting your mood and reducing anxiety, which is especially beneficial during a period of elevated stress. If you’re lucky enough to live on Cape Cod or the islands, there is no shortage of great places to go for a hike while staying close to home. Here are a few nearby nature trails that offer breathtaking scenery as well as space for social distancing.

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The tides are constantly shifting the sands of Cape Cod and this is particularly evident at Great Island in Wellfleet. Part of Cape Cod National Seashore, this peninsula was an actual island until the 1830s. Eventually, buildup of sediment reconnected Great Island with the mainland. The strip of land juts into Cape Cod Bay like an arm protecting the western edge of Wellfleet Harbor. The Great Island Trail is eight miles long, roundtrip, and features a mix of woodland paths and sandy terrain (walking can be laborious, so this trail is best suited for more serious hikers). A marsh-side trail hugs the beach and passes by a section of the Herring River known as the Gut that offers scenic views of Wellfleet Harbor. Shore birds and armies of fiddler crabs are common sights. The path winds through sand dunes and eventually ends at the Jeremy Point Overlook.

There is also a wooded trail route that offers some shade and beautiful scenery. Allow three to five hours to explore the Great Island Trail. Signage is sparse, so be sure to bring a map.

DIRECTIONS: Corner of Griffin Island and Chequessett Neck Road. From Route 6, follow green signs to Wellfleet Center; turn left onto East Commercial Street (follow signs to Wellfleet Harbor); continue along the shoreline from town pier via Chequessett Neck Road to the Great Island parking area. For updated trail information, visit nps.gov.

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Walking through the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail in Wellfleet is an enchanting experience. Located within one of the largest remaining white cedar swamps on Cape Cod (many were cut down in the 19th century to be turned into cranberry bogs), this trail offers a cooler, shadier alternative to many hiking spots in the region.

Situated within the Cape Cod National Seashore, the trailhead is a stone’s throw from the historic Marconi Site (named for Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor who sent the first public two-way wireless communication between Europe and America in 1903). Standing in the parking lot you can hear the loud roar of the Atlantic Ocean just beyond the nearby bluff and smell the salt in the air. The 1.2-mile trail loop begins as a sandy path that leads downhill, past twisted scrub pines and into a mature woodland.

Eventually, hikers reach a thick grove of cedar trees and begin following a wide boardwalk that winds between tree trunks in a serpentine-like fashion. The air is damp and the lighting is dim. Pools of water collect between the trees and green moss covers the mounded tree roots, creating an otherworldly effect. The trail returns via the historic “Wireless Road” (a sand road) back to the starting location.

DIRECTIONS: 195 Marconi Station Road. At the stop light, turn east off Route 6 into the Marconi Station Area, South Wellfleet. Follow brown signs to the Marconi Site and White Cedar Swamp. For more information, visit nps.gov.

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Stretching for eight miles off the elbow of Cape Cod, Chatham’s Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is made up of the barrier islands of North and South Monomoy, Minimoy Island and 40 acres of Morris Island, where the refuge headquarters and visitor station are located.

Managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, this 7,604-acre sanctuary was established to provide important nesting and feeding habitat for many endangered species of migratory birds, such as the federally protected piping plover. A 0.75-mile walking trail on Morris Island, offers a glimpse at the wild beauty and unique habitats found here (North and South Monomoy islands are only accessible by boat).

marker is Island Lookout Point, where hikers can gaze out at South Beach, managed and owned by the town of Chatham, and also see North and South Monomoy Islands in the distance. From August to October, the salt marshes near the Morris Island Trail turn purple with blooming sea rocket and lavender. Watch as shorebirds scurry to the water’s edge to gather food and quickly rush back to their nests in the nearby grasses. Trails are open from dawn to dusk.

The coastal landscape at the Morris Island Trail supports an amazing diversity of wildlife and plant species. Hikers can spot songbirds, shorebirds, horseshoe crabs, and the occasional seal. Refer to informative panels along the trail to learn more about various examples of flora and fauna. The second trail

Take the Main Street exit, up the hill to Shore Road. Turn right

DIRECTIONS: Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, 30 Wikis Way Chatham. Take Route 6 East to State Route 137 South, to State Route 28 East. Take Route 28 East to the rotary. and proceed past Chatham Lighthouse. Bear left after lighthouse onto Morris Island Road. Follow Morris Island Road to signs for the refuge on the left, on Wikis Way. Limited parking is available at the visitor center. For more information, visit fws.gov/refuge/ Monomoy/.

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CAPE COD CORNER

Managed by the Trustees of Reservations, Menemsha Hills Reservation is located on the northern side of Chilmark, on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. The 211-acre nature preserve features a variety of coastal habitats, a mile-long rocky shoreline and sandy bluffs overlooking Vineyard Sound.

There are three-miles of trails (two interconnected loops) that lead across marshes, woodlands, and windswept hills. Along the way, hikers pass large boulders, called erratics, that were dropped approximately 22,000 years ago when the land was being shaped by glaciers. Follow the path to the top of Prospect Hill, the second-highest point on the Vineyard, and you’ll be able to see clear across to the Elizabeth Islands. The trail eventually leads to the coast, where scrub pine trees and beach plum bushes help to anchor the sand on the seaside cliffs. The trail ends at a staircase that leads down to a rocky beach. This reservation is open year-round, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 11/2 hours for your visit.

TRAIL ADVISORY: The eastern half of the Harris Loop is temporarily closed. To access the reservation, take the Western half to the base of Prospect Hill and proceed from there.

Chilmark and follow for 4.7 miles. The trail entrance and parking (20 cars) are located just past Tabor House Road, on the right. For more information and to download a trail map, visit thetrustees.org.

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PETE MAROTTA

DIRECTIONS: From State Road in West Tisbury, turn right onto North Road toward

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Dos and Don’ts of Hiking Safely DO download a trail map to bring with you and be sure to check trail websites and social media pages before you leave for current information on restrictions.

DO carry water, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and a face mask. *Massachusetts residents are required to wear a face covering when outdoors, if they cannot remain at least six feet away from others. Since summertime is a popular time for hikers to hit the trails, do your part to keep yourself and others safe.

DO follow trail etiquette. If you are Tucked down a quiet residential street in the village of Woods Hole, the Knob is a narrow peninsula of protected land situated between New Bedford and the Elizabeth Islands that provides spectacular views of Quissett Harbor and Buzzards Bay. Originally a gift of Cornelia Carey, the 12-acre conservation area is now managed by Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, a small private, nonprofit conservation organization. Access to the Knob is on property of the Quissett Harbor House Land Trust, Inc. A 0.8-mile long path travels along scenic marshland, forest, and the rocky shoreline.

Near the beginning of the trail, along the inner harbor, Little Sandy Beach is an ideal spot for small children to play in the shallow water and look for shells. On the Buzzard’s Bay side, there are access points to Crescent Beach, which is a good place to stop to take in the view.

The outermost point of the trail is the Knob Lookout, where visitors can stand atop a platform of large stones and take in the panoramic views (make sure young children stay away from the edge). On a clear day you can see New Bedford in the west, the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal to the north, and the Elizabeth Islands to the south. This picturesque land preserve offers travelers the perfect escape from crowds. The Knob Trail is relatively narrow, but it’s very limited parking area helps ensure that there are never too many people traversing the trail at one time. The Knob is open to the public from dawn to dusk for bird watching, strolling, beach combing, and swimming.

DIRECTIONS: 36 Quissett Harbor Rd., Falmouth. Limited parking is available at the end of Quissett Harbor Road. For more information, visit saltpondsanctuaries. org/the-knob.

on a narrower trail, it is okay to step off the trail to let people pass. If you’re approaching someone, let them know you’re coming and take turns using bridges or boardwalks.

DO respect the environment. Pay attention to signs marking delicate habitat, such as eroding dunes, and carry out whatever you carry in.

Remember to take only memories and leave only footprints.

DO avoid coming in contact with poison ivy, which often grows in the sandy soil. Remember the phrase, leaves of three, let them be.

DON’T travel out of state. Instead, visit less-trafficked trails, parks, and forests that are close to home.

DON’T congregate in large groups and remember to remain six feet apart from others on the trail.

DON’T leave your house if you exhibit symptoms of illness.

DON’T forget to “go” before you leave the house. At this time, most park facilities, including public restrooms, remain closed.

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Home I N T E R I O R D E S I G N

BY COURTNEY GOODRICH PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGEL TUCKER

A FAMILY GETS TO KNOW THE ISLAND THEY LOVE WITH SOME HELP FROM THEIR SPACIOUS NEW HOUSE DESIGNED FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

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In the living area of this

Martha’s Vineyard home, there are plenty of seats for people to lounge and large french doors that lead to the yard.

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Home I N T E R I O R D E S I G N

hen it comes to interior design, no detail is too small.

Sure, the day-to-day of running your own firm means having a lot on your plate, constantly switching between the more creative components of the job — space planning, furniture layouts, color theory — and the actual business side of things. But nothing can slip through the cracks. Every detail has to come together simultaneously to create a home that’s at once comfortable, personal, and whole. And if it’s carried out with superb customer service that makes it all seem easy, then all the better.

This is what designer Angela Hamwey does best. Her Hyannisbased interior design studio, Mackenzie + Company, plans an entire house design with such precision that all furnishings arrive at the same time and can be installed by her team in one or two days. When homeowners, Nicole and Steve, bought an almostfinished new construction spec house in Edgartown in 2017, they hired Hamwey to make it feel fun and family friendly, but they also trusted she would successfully get everything to the island (which is tricky with weather and ferry schedules) while they weren’t there.

“They’re both busy people and wanted it handled correctly,” says Hamwey.

And so in June 2018, one week after Nicole and Steve and their two daughters spent the weekend at the empty house, sleeping on air mattresses on the floor, “we came back and it was fully furnished,” says Nicole. “It was one of the most special things we have ever experienced. There were family photos in frames and artwork hung on the walls. She even had art supplies for my kids.”

The 3,100-square-foot house has a coastal feel that welcomes them warmly every time they arrive. On the first floor is the main gathering room — an open-concept living, kitchen, and dining space with large doors that look out to the backyard. On one side is a mudroom, while a master suite is on the other. Since most of the finish work had been completed by the time Nicole and Steve bought the house, all that was left to do was choose the wall colors, the cabinet hardware, and the gray herringbone kitchen backsplash tile, though Hamwey also expertly advised swapping out some light fixtures. As for furnishings, “I’m dedicated to taking a journey with the clients,” she says, “in which they lead the way and we provide the navigation.” Since the family wanted fun pops of color, Hamwey chose kelly green chairs for the kitchen island and royal blue chairs for the dining table. A navy rug pulls together the living area, which with two sofas and two chairs has plenty of room for everyone to lounge.

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capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Since the family wanted to add some color to the house, designer Angela Hamwey chose kelly green chairs for the kitchen island, which is painted light blue with light blue light fixtures above. In the dining area, royal blue chairs surround the table.

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Home I N T E R I O R D E S I G N Like all the beds in the house, the second-floor master suite has a custom black spindle bed from The Beautiful Bed Company. Bottom (left): A spacious entry is just inside the front door, and it leads to the open-concept living, kitchen, and dining space, with a staircase that leads upstairs. Bottom (right): The daughters’ bedroom is a fun space with an art station, a teepee, lifejacket wallpaper, and a custom bunk bed.

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The mudroom is decorated with fish wallpaper by Maine artist Sara Fitz. Bottom: A small vignette of Hamwey’s final touches includes artwork also by Fitz.

On the second floor, there’s another master suite, a small living space at the top of the stairs, and a guest bedroom connected to a bunk room for the girls (with fun lifejacket wallpaper by Maine artist Sara Fitz) by a Jack-and-Jill bath.

As a way to make Nicole and Steve’s bedroom (the second-floor master) extra special, Hamway suggested a custom bed from The Beautiful Bed Company. Not only did they say yes, but they used the company for all the beds in the house.

“They will be heirloom beds for their family,” says Hamwey. Topped with crisp white linens and custom bolsters by Sugar Feather, the beds are luxurious spots to rest after a long day exploring the island.

Having visited Martha’s Vineyard for years, the family is now happy to have a house that is both spacious enough to host family and friends as well as flexible and low-maintenance to be able to accommodate renters. “It’s definitely primarily a family residence,” says Nicole, “but we do rent it out for four or five weeks between May and September.” They make sure to reserve the entire month of July and a handful of other weeks for themselves, and they enjoy visiting in the off season as well. “We’re learning whole new sides of the island being able to do that,” she says.

If they had decided to furnish the house themselves, “we would have only had time to go to one furniture store and order everything from there,” admits Nicole. Instead, Hamwey understood who they were and what they needed out of the house. “She made it very comfortable and at the same time very, very beautiful,” says Nicole.

Mackenzie + Company, 396 Main St., Hyannis, designedbymac.com

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Wellness S M A L L S PA C E L I V I N G

LESSONS ON

SMALL SPACE LIVING FROM A

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BY KELLY CHASE PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION

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ruce Strickrott is the group manager and pilot of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s deep submergence vehicle Alvin. The submarine had a brush with stardom in the 1980s when it was the first human-occupied vehicle to explore the Titanic. Strickrott joined its crew in the 1990s and has been part of over 80 research trips and 380 deep-sea dives aboard Alvin. “Alvin has led the way to understanding what the deep ocean is like, and it continues to discover things at the bottom of the ocean that impact the daily lives of everyone,” Strickrott says.

For up to eight months of the year, Strickrott is at sea. During dives, he’s part of the team of three aboard the 23-foot-long Alvin, and the rest of his time he spends on its host ship, Atlantis, which is 274 feet from bow to stern. On some missions, the team of close to 50 doesn’t see land for four weeks at a time. On many journeys, the hours are long and the days blend together. Nonetheless, these seafaring professionals have systems in place that allow them to be productive, keep their sanity, and even enjoy themselves.

In fact, the former navy pilot says he thrives in the at-sea environment. “I’ve spent a lot of time out there, and I happen to really enjoy it,” he says.

When Strickrott and the teams from Alvin and Atlantis returned from their latest research trip in March, they found themselves in familiar territory, albeit a new kind of confinement on land with the state’s stay-at-home order. We decided to speak with Strickrott, who was in Woods Hole, about how he stays active, productive, and happy while out at sea in the hopes that his experience would enlighten others who are trying to work, exercise, spend time with family, and remain pleasant in confined quarters.

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Wellness S M A L L S PA C E L I V I N G

ESTABLISH HEALTHY ROUTINES “Ship life revolves around routines,” says Strickrott. Humans are creatures of habit and defined routines at sea keep the crews on task and on schedule. Every day, the crew is up at 5 a.m. to prepare for the 8 a.m. launch of the Alvin. Every night, the sub returns between 4 and 5 p.m. “In between, the team on the ship has work to do, but they also have time to take a breather—do their laundry, exercise, read, or do whatever they need to do,” he says. When the sub comes back, the teams perform service and maintenance tasks and often work until 9 p.m. “Mixed into the day are set meal times. Breakfast is at 7 a.m., lunch at 11:30 a.m., and dinner is at 5:30 p.m.,” he says.

For those who have found themselves living and working in the same space for an extended period of time, establishing routines can be essential to productivity.

“The routines that people had before [are no longer possible], and those who are doing well have established new routines and have found time for the things that are important to them,” says Strickrott.

While at home, try to establish a few routines, such as waking up at the same time every day, starting work at the same time, and making time for breaks. Think of the activities that make you feel good— making a healthy breakfast, meditation, or reading—and fit at least one of those activities into your day. (Interested in meditation? Healing Therapies Cape Cod is hosting online meditation classes. healingtherapiescapecod.com/ mindfulness ) 60 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

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FIND PURPOSE “Everyone on board has a role to play,” says Strickrott. No matter how large or small everyone’s daily tasks play important roles in the greater mission of the ship. This collective purpose keeps the teams motivated at sea. One recent voyage in December, 2019, and January, 2020, took the team of close to 50 scientists, crew, and staff to an underwater volcano in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where thousands of feet below the surface, they examined life sustained by the energy rather than light. In fact, information that was gathered on this trip is linked to the testing used for diagnosing novel coronavirus. “It’s good to know what we are doing is really making a difference,” says Strickrott.

Feeling useful is essential for all of us. Being useful while at home could mean completing a project you’ve been meaning to get to, starting to write down memories for that book you’ve been thinking about, or reaching out and seeing if there are safe ways that you can help a friend or your community. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

REMOVE DISTRACTIONS “You go to sea for months at a time, and when you come back it is amazing how much noise there is,” says Strickrott.

“Getting away from that is really healthy.” Life at sea aboard a motorized ship isn’t exactly quiet. “But we are not immersed in the noise of society, that is a different kind of noise,” he says, noting the constant news cycle. “We are away from that, which makes it easier to focus on the long hours and routine of being at sea.”

With distractions at our fingertips, it can be hard to disengage, but ship life and life in quarantine have a similar demand for quiet. Shut off the television and take in the quiet of your surroundings. Find some mindful activities, such as yoga or drawing—Cape Cod Cultural Center is offering online courses for both. cultural-center.org SUMMER 2020 » 61

Wellness S M A L L S PA C E L I V I N G

“It’s good to know what we are doing is really making a difference.”

— Bruce Strickrott

BREAK FOR PERSPECTIVE Strickrott says the navy turns off lights on its ships at night for strategic reasons, but the result is a clear view of the night sky. He says that everyone is busy at work aboard the Atlantis, but they often remind each other to take breaks to marvel at the beauty of their surroundings. “We’re all pretty regimented, but you really have to take time to get up on deck to take in the sunrise or the sunset,” says Strickrott. “The night sky from the ship is also worth seeing.”

While the Atlantis is out in the middle of the ocean, creatures from below, such as pilot whales, will pass by. “There are times in the middle of the Pacific when the seas are flat and the sun is setting and reflecting off the water like a mirror,” he says. “In these times, the sky takes on a purple color and the scene is pretty amazing.”

At home this could mean stepping outside at night and looking up at the stars or getting outside daily for a walk or to sit in the sun. There are apps, such as Starwalk and Skyview, that will help point out constellations and planets.

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SHIPS RETURN TO HARBOR When a mission is complete, the Atlantis and Alvin return to port.

Strickrott says that the smell of grass is a great comfort when he steps off the ship. The smell of grass signifies land, solid ground, and home. “When we are at sea for long stretches, it is hard not being able to see family and loved ones,” says Strickrott. “I know a lot of people are missing family right now.”

Fortunately, people have the ability to keep in touch through video chats, phone calls, and texts. Checking in with loved ones is essential when at sea and in quarantine.

From your home base, regularly check in with loved ones through video calls. Use snail mail to send cards and drawings to friends and family members. Over video calls, play games like trivia (randomtriviagenerator.com) or Pictionary (randomwordgenerator. com/pictionary.php).

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And remember, spring is in the air here on the Cape and islands— and the smell of freshly cut grass is all around us.

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Food+ Drink I T TA K E S A V I L L A G E

CAPE RESTAURANTS ADAPT TO NEW WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS AND HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES ALONG THE WAY

BY LANNAN M. O’BRIEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULIA CUMES

Restaurant owners on the Cape and islands are a hardy breed.

They suffer lost business every winter, whether they close for the season or stay open to serve the year-rounders who remain. When the spring comes, they prepare and wait for the tide to change. The floodgates open, and from the bridges and ferries, business arrives like a storm surge.

Every summer season, the kitchen seems to get hotter, the staff smaller, the crowds larger, and the challenges more insurmountable. Yet they continue to scramble on tired feet, making do with less—less staff, time, and inventory— to prepare their crews and brace their ships for the next rogue wave that comes their way.

This year, the wave arrived in a form no one had ever seen before: Covid-19. Still, they were prepared to meet it. Through the international pandemic, amid their own dining room closures, restaurants have managed to transform their operations—not only to keep their businesses afloat, but to provide life rafts for their communities and those on the front lines of this crisis. Here are some of their stories.

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Clockwise, from left: Loic Rossignon and Rob Anderson, owners of the Canteen in Provincetown; Manuel Ainzuain and Shayna Ferullo in the takeout window at Snowy Owl; Trudy Vermehren, owner of the Fox and Crow Cafe in Wellfleet; Brandon Babiarz, director of operations for Marshland Restaurants in Sandwich and Plymouth; Erica and Adam Dunn, owners of the Pheasant in Dennis; and (from left) Chelsea Doohan and John and Molly Wilson with their two children at Water Street Kitchen in Woods Hole.

PLEASE NOTE: All of the restaurants in this article are open for business this summer. Refer to websites for information on reservations and takeout options. Many establishments are encouraging ordering online and calling ahead for reservations.

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Food+ Drink I T TA K E S A V I L L A G E

THE CANTEEN Provincetown When the governor first announced restrictions on dine-in services, Loic Rossignon busted through a front window at his restaurant, The Canteen in Provincetown, and, lo and behold— after a minor renovation—takeout service began. “We have kind of a bohemian vibe and a ‘make it work’ mentality,” says restaurant co-owner Rob Anderson.

Immediately, they did just that for their employees, paying even those who couldn’t work due to their limited service. They gave their people whatever they needed, including food from their distributors, setting up a shelf of extra food for them to take home.

And then, Anderson thought, “Well, I’m already doing this for my employees, maybe I could open this up to the rest of Provincetown,” he explains.

In addition to their regular takeout and delivery service, for which they’ve been offering cooked meals, graband-go options, and prepared meals to heat up at home, they started offering groceries, to go. Customers can purchase groceries for themselves or donate to the cause to help others. For these orders, The Canteen discounts the price of groceries, and delivers items to the person or family in need.

“We’re happy to be the conduit for that kind of generosity,” says Anderson, adding that doing creative things for their community is reflective of The Canteen’s mission. “For us, we’re just being who we are and adapting it to new circumstances.”

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THE CANTEEN 225 Commercial St., Provincetown, thecanteenptown.com

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THE PHEASANT Dennis

Adam and Erica Dunn were about to reopen their intimate, high-end restaurant, The Pheasant in Dennis, after a scheduled closure when the new regulations were announced. After closing for a bit longer, they decided to offer limited takeout on Fridays and Saturdays. “Everything was meant to be heated at home,” says Adam. “We decided to do meals for two, and offer beer and wine with it.”

The new system has been worth the effort, even as the two juggle work and parenting, packing orders while keeping an eye on their toddler in the pack-and-play at the restaurant. But looking ahead, the owners knew they’d need to prepare for a future of sit-down dining with social distancing, which wouldn’t be possible in their intimate setting indoors. “We thought about moving our restaurant outside, and said, ‘Let’s get some picnic tables,’” Adam says, explaining their vision of a welcoming beer gardeninspired atmosphere.

They spread the word on social media about picnictable sponsorships, including a personalized plaque and the buyer’s preference of paint color. In two hours, sponsorships sold out, and many were disappointed that they had missed out. Invigorated, they offered new sponsorships for personalized planter beds to decorate the space—and those sold out in one hour. “We’re really fortunate to have this very strong network,” says Adam.

Although some days are more challenging than others, Erica says, the recent experience has taught them to be flexible and open-minded about their business. And, she says, “It’s going to require customers to be flexible, too.”

THE PHEASANT 905 Main St., Dennis, pheasantcapecod.com SUMMER 2020 » 67

Food+ Drink I T TA K E S A V I L L A G E

WAT E R S T R E E T K I T C H E N Woods Hole

The pandemic hit, and within a few days, the restaurant that Molly and John Wilson knew had vanished. Water Street Kitchen in Woods Hole is a fine-dining restaurant known for exceptional food and ocean views, but in March, the husband-and-wife team knew they needed to do something completely different. Due to safety concerns, they had to lay off employees, and with a staff of three—themselves and Molly’s sister, Chelsea Doohan, who usually manages the bar—they crafted a plan for family-style meals with a set menu, each order made to serve two people.

“We thought, how are the three of us going to cook this food?” Molly Wilson reflects. “My sister and I don’t normally work in the kitchen.” So, they learned how to prep and cook. Orders poured in with a demand much higher than expected. The phone kept ringing and they had to stop answering. Weeks passed, and the demand persisted. As of mid-May, they began making the transition to bring some of their staff back, spending hours on Zoom to train them in new systems of operation.

“I think it’s going to change our business model in ways that are good in the long run,” says Wilson. Now they’re more prepared for moments when the restaurant is short-staffed. Plus, she adds, “Because of the level of food we do, we never focused on takeout [before the pandemic].”

WATER STREET KITCHEN 56 Water St., Woods Hole, waterstreetkitchen.com

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Now Water Street offers something new: high-end, internationally inspired cuisine made with fresh, seasonal ingredients that is available to go. One week might be an American classic like Southernfried chicken, and the next, yellowfin tuna niçoise or Korean-fried haddock with kimchi-fried rice. But while the menu varies, business remains steady. “It’s a crazy time, and I think a lot of people are getting a lot of comfort from going out and getting takeout from their favorite restaurant,” Wilson says.

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M A R S H L A N D R E S TA U R A N T S Sandwich When schools closed in March, there was one thought weighing on Brandon Babiarz’s mind: a child who normally takes advantage of free lunch programs arriving home to a food-insecure house. As the director of operations for Marshland Restaurants—owned by his mother, Kim Babiarz, and Martin Finch—Babiarz coordinates efforts to provide food for Sandwich students in need during school vacation weeks through a partnership Marshland has shared with the school district for many years.

While the district was awaiting state approval to provide aid for students, Marshland took action, offering meals that the public could donate to any families they knew were in need—breakfast for $2.50 and lunch for $3—and posting about it on Facebook. In the matter of a few hours, the post was shared 1,000 times. “By the time I placed the order for food [the next day], we had received two or three thousand dollars in donations,” says Babiarz. It was enough for the restaurant group, with two locations in Sandwich

and one in Plymouth, to provide 1,000 meals to families until schools were able to begin their own food program. Marshland continued to receive donations, using them to donate to a food drive for local families run by Sandwich High School.

All this in addition to regular takeout service, which Babiarz says has been successful. On the shift in operations, he says, “The restaurant industry has always been kind of forced to operate under pressure and in chaos mode. I think that’s why restaurants were best suited for something like this happening.”

THE ORIGINAL MARSHLAND 109 Route 6A, Sandwich

MARSHLAND TOO & TOO’S TAVERN 315 Cotuit Road, Sandwich marshlandrestaurants.com SUMMER 2020 » 69

Food+ Drink I T TA K E S A V I L L A G E

SNOWY OWL COFFEE ROASTERS Brewster and Chatham For the past few months, Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters has been on a mission to bring coffee to essential workers supporting Cape communities amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Manuel Ainzuain, who co-owns Snowy Owl with his wife, Shayna Ferullo, says that their friends who own a coffee business in San Francisco started a coffee donation program for healthcare workers during the pandemic. Inspired, they decided to adapt the program to the needs on Cape Cod. They offered three types of coffee care packages: Just Coffee, which includes brewed coffee for 20 people; Coffee and Snack Bars, including brewed coffee and an assortment of snack bars from other local businesses; and Coffee and Chequessett Chocolate, a package of brewed coffee and Truromade chocolate bars by Chequessett Chocolate.

Buyers choose from a list of recipients, including area hospitals, fire and police departments, postal services, grocery stores and senior residences. “The good thing about this program has been seeing the response of the community,” Ainzuain says. As of early May, 126 packages had been purchased, and were delivered personally by the business owners to each location.

While their physical locations in Brewster and Chatham were initially closed, the donation program and regular online orders kept the husband-andwife team busy, allowing them to bring some of their staff back to work. They reopened both locations for grab-and-go service in May, and added new outdoor tables at the Brewster location, allowing guests to enjoy their coffees amid the beautiful gardens, which are maintained by property owner Stephan Brown of Great Cape Herbs. This summer both locations are open for business, and the care packages will continue to be available as well.

SNOWY OWL COFFEE ROASTERS 2624 Main St., Brewster

SNOWY OWL ESPRESSO BAR 483 Main St., Chatham socoffee.co

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THE FOX AND CROW CAFÉ Wellfleet When the pandemic hit the Cape, Trudy Vermehren, owner of The Fox and Crow Café in Wellfleet, received a proposal from her friend and lawyer, Bruce Bierhans, to feed local kids in need through takeout meals from the restaurant. They started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the effort, and to their amazement, raised over $11,000 by the end of the day.

In order to make it happen, they started a nonprofit called The Common Table, and Vermehren says, people immediately stepped up to the plate to volunteer.

People came to her volunteering to cook and deliver the food to families in need. A couple that was on sabbatical in the area at the time offered to help coordinate volunteers. Working together, they expanded the effort beyond children to include entire families, elderly couples, homeless individuals, and anyone in need of help. “Sometimes, they’re not that food insecure, but

they need something to give them a bright spot,” says Vermehren.

In the midst of their food program, she began regular takeout service at Fox & Crow. Somehow, with the help of her staff, volunteers, and friends, she has made it all work. “I don’t get much of a break, but it’s kind of the nature of the beast,” Vermehren says matter-of-factly, adding with a laugh, “Now, everyone is so in sync, they tell me to go sit down and they’ll handle everything.”

As of mid-May, 5,500 meals were donated to people in need through The Common Table. Regardless of what happens, Vermehren and Bierhans plan to continue the nonprofit, changing its direction if necessary to meet the needs in the community.

THE FOX AND CROW CAFE 6 Commercial St., Wellfleet, thefoxandcrowcafe.com SUMMER 2020 » 71

FA R M - F R E S H P R O D U C E

CHATHAM BARS INN FARM

COONAMESSETT FARM

BY LANNAN M. O’BRIEN

With fresh food fluctuating at grocery stores, many have started going straight to the source.

Farm stands and farmers’ markets are having their moment, making it easy to access fresh, local foods and offering services like curbside pickup or delivery. Visit one of these great spots to support your local harvester.

Find produce grown on site, meat, baked goods and ready-to-go meals at the farm stand. Produce pickup available by appointment.

277 Hatchville Rd., East Falmouth, coonamessettfarm.com

FALMOUTH FARMERS’ MARKET

Vendors of all kinds draw market-goers to Falmouth Harbor for delicious baked goods and produce, as well as prepared foods and wine.

Open Thursdays.

Marina Park, 180 Scranton Ave., falmouthfarmersmarket.com

DASILVA FARMS

Plan before you go Check business websites and social media for information on current rules and operations.

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A supplier of farm-fresh eggs and chicken, as well as feed and grain for animals and homemade dog food for your four-legged friend. Visit the farm stand or Facebook message for pickup and delivery options.

104 Brick Kiln Rd. Rear, Teaticket, facebook.com/DaSilva-Farms

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FLUFFY BUTT FARM

A variety of fresh eggs—chicken, duck, turkey and quail—are available for purchase at this Sandwich farm. Local delivery or pickup by appointment, orders accepted by phone (567-2332621) or Facebook message.

Forestdale, facebook.com/FluffyButtFarm

SANDWICH FARMERS’ MARKET

Browse this market’s selection of meats and cheeses, prepared food, baked goods, homemade toffee and more.

Tuesdays starting June 30. Online ordering and curbside pickup preferred.

Henry T. Wing School parking lot 33 Water St., Sandwich sandwichfarmersmarket.com

CAPE COD ORGANIC FARM

Organic fruits and veggies, cut flowers, herbs, and native grasses for land restoration are the specialties of this local grower. Check website for the latest harvest.

3675 Main St., Barnstable, capecodorganicfarm.org

CAPE ABILITIES FARM

Find all your fresh grocery items and much more, including growing supplies, pet supplies, and unique gifts at this market, which provides employment training for individuals with disabilities.

Contactless pickup and delivery available.

458 Main St., Dennis, capeabilitiesfarm.com

SEAWIND MEADOWS COTUIT OYSTER COMPANY

A family-owned farm producing grassfed Highland beef and fresh eggs, Seawind Meadows’ products are available at local farmers’ markets and its own pop-up farm stand, or can be ordered by emailing to SeawindMeadows@gmail.com. Available cuts posted online. seawindmeadows.com

TUCKERNUCK FARM

COTUIT OYSTER COMPANY

There’s nothing like fresh oysters and littlenecks from Cotuit Bay, especially when they are shipped right to your door! (Don’t have an oyster knife?

They’ve got those for sale, too.)

Order online at cotuitoystercompany.com

OSTERVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET

This market has gone virtual, with vendors making it easy to purchase fresh produce, bakery items, raw honey and more with local delivery and curbside pickup. Browse the full list online. ostervillemuseum.org

Heirloom lettuce and tomatoes, snap peas, cucumbers, and herbs are for sale at this farm stand, which is open daily.

Email veronica_worthington@yahoo. com to be added to the Farmstand VIP list for updates on newly harvested produce.

Fisk St., West Dennis, facebook.com/tuckernuckfarmcapecod

BREWSTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY FARMERS’ MARKET

A creative alternative to in-person shopping, this market is offering local delivery of boxes filled with goods from its vendors, like veggies, herbs, cheese, and bread. Check website for details and online ordering. brewsterhistoricalsociety.org/farmersmarket

CHATHAM BARS INN FARM

This farm stand’s produce is available online, with orders ready for contactless pickup in 24 hours’ time.

3034 Main St., Brewster, chathambarsinnfarmstand.com

CAPE COD ORGANIC FARM

CHATHAM FARMER’S MARKET

Feast your eyes on fresh produce, cut flowers, cookies, doughnuts, and all things delicious at this local market.

Tuesdays starting June 2. facebook.com/ chathamfarmersmarketcapecod

ORLEANS FARMERS’ MARKET

If you’re looking for veggies and herbs, flowers, farm-fresh eggs, pies and jams, you’ll find it all at this outdoor market.

Saturdays at Nauset Regional Middle School.

70 Route 28, Orleans, orleansfarmersmarket.com

DAVE’S GREENS

A certified organic grower of flowers and herbs, fruits, veggies and more. Venmo (David-DeWitt-27) preferred over cash.

41 Holsbery Rd., Truro, facebook.com/DavesGreens

MORNING GLORY FARM

This family-owned farm stand, bakery and kitchen has everything you need, including produce, flowers, and islandraised beef and pork.

120 Meshacket Rd, Edgartown, morninggloryfarm.com

BARTLETT’S FARM

Produce straight from the fields, prepared food, grocery and deli items, wine and beer make Bartlett’s a community staple. Online ordering and curbside pickup available.

33 Bartlett Farm Rd., Nantucket, bartlettsfarm.com SUMMER 2020 » 73

Recipe V I N E YA R D K I T C H E N

AN ALFRESCO MORNING MEAL THAT WON’T DISAPPOINT

BY SARAH WALDMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY ELIZABETH CECIL

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he themes of this summer on Martha’s Vineyard are adaptability, ingenuity, patience, and hope. Despite the major shifts in the world around us—and on our little island—I find comfort in the fact that some things remain the same like the freshness of an outdoor shower, the smell of the salty ocean, and the look on our nine year old’s face when he catches a striped bass.

Like many, our beach days look and feel different, but our family has found some new rhythms too. Now, we pack up and hit the beach early in the morning. I like to roll in with a coffee and breakfast and sit, swim, and enjoy the solitude before another car pulls into the lot. We’re often home by lunchtime, beating the other eager ocean-seekers and giving us space to spread out in our yard with the garden (and sprinkler) calling for our attention.

The beach in the morning feels so fresh and new and is always a welcome kickoff to the day ahead. If you wake up in a bad mood or feel overwhelmed, the ocean always seems to wash it all away.

Packing for the beach used to mean sandwiches, fresh fruit, and something crunchy and salty, but now that we’re shifting to an earlier routine, we’ve mastered the beach brunch. This meal is a great way to celebrate a summer birthday or anniversary, but is also perfectly acceptable to enjoy just because it’s summer and you’ve made it to the beach.

Here are three recipes that can be made ahead, are easy to pack, and are best enjoyed al fresco. And remember, if you can’t share a beach blanket with friends, you can still drop off a slice of BlueberryLemon Morning Cake on their porch.

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Recipe V I N E YA R D K I T C H E N

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Blueberry-Lemon Morning Cake Any cake that calls for a pound of blueberries is almost guaranteed to be good. This BlueberryLemon Morning Cake doesn’t disappoint. Each bite has a punch of sweet and tart berry and bright lemon—the perfect companion to a cup of hot coffee or cold Icy Blender Latte.

INGREDIENTS 2 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a nine-inch springform pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

2

Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, start by beating the eggs and sugar together at high speed, and continue until light in color. Add in sour cream, canola oil, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined.

3

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Then, slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this in stages and do not over mix. Finally, add in half of the lemon zest and half of the lemon juice.

4

In a small bowl, toss blueberries with cornstarch and remaining lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved.

5

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and top with half of the blueberries. Repeat with remaining batter and remaining blueberries, and gently push blueberries into the top of the batter.

6

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15-20 minutes before removing the pan’s ring.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

1 cup sugar 1 cup sour cream ½ cup canola oil 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 lemons, zested and juiced 1 tablespoon cornstarch 16 ounces fresh blueberries Powdered sugar for dusting

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Recipe V I N E YA R D K I T C H E N

I love savory tarts and this one couldn’t be easier thanks to a sheet of frozen puff pastry and perfect summer tomatoes. You can adapt this recipe a million different ways—adding pesto, different cheeses, or topping with a fresh arugula salad or garden herbs. I find the tart tastes good at any time: warm, at room temperature, or pulled cold from the fridge on a scorching afternoon.

INGREDIENTS 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (one 14-ounce package or half of a 17.3-ounce package), thawed All-purpose flour for dusting 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound tomatoes, sliced thin and patted dry with a kitchen towel Kosher salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, approximately 15 inches by 10 inches. Using a fork, prick pastry in a few places then slide pastry onto a piece of parchment paper.

2

Mix minced garlic into olive oil. Spoon half of the garlic oil over the dough and arrange the sliced tomatoes on top.

Spoon the remaining garlic oil over top, and sprinkle with lots of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3

Carefully transfer tart from parchment paper directly to an oven rack (if you bake on a baking sheet the bottom of the pastry will be soggy). Bake the tart until the edges are puffed and golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the tart cool for 10 minutes then cut into 8 pieces.

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Icy Blender Latte I treat myself to this super simple, blender coffee drink on hot summer mornings. I try to brew extra coffee so I have some on hand. You can either add the ice cubes to the blender or omit and pour the coffee mixture over ice.

INGREDIENTS 2 cups room-temperature or cold coffee 2 pitted dates ½ cup ice cubes ½ cup oat milk (or any milk you like) Splash vanilla extra, cinnamon, or both

1

DIRECTIONS Simply blend everything together and pour into cups.

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WRITER’S SHACK

BY LAUREN WOLK

When Deirdre Grace Callanan writes a poem, she invokes the senses the way summer does: by tempting us.

We want to taste, touch, hear, smell, and see the world as she presents it, through a lens that distills beauty into truth. The physical sensations she evokes in her poetry open the door to the metaphysical, the understanding of what’s at the root of all that beauty, the awareness of what’s waiting in its bloom: layers and turns that make for depth and complexity, darkness and light. For all of those reasons, her poetry deserves to be read.

More importantly, it deserves to be experienced. Like summer does.

Picking Beach Plums with Virginia Woolf

They harvested in silence in the civil twilight, lifted bowed branches (scarred bark, lichen).

Deirdre Grace Callanan is an author, freelance journalist, and editor. For 30 years, she taught English and photography first in Tidewater, Virginia, next in Washington D.C., and then for the Dennis-Yarmouth district. For 15 years, she co-led a Cape & Islands poetry celebration for K-12 poets. As a Christa McAuliffe Fellow, she traveled the state working with teachers as writers, ultimately publishing a classroom text, “Windows & Mirrors.” Bass River Press, an imprint of The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, awarded her its 2018 Poetry Prize for her collection, “Water~Dreaming.”

This year, Paper Plane Consulting published “Fish Camp: North Jetty Tales,” her history of a Casey Key, Florida, landmark. Deirdre is currently at work on a series of meditative essays about beach plums.

80 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

He held the bucket beneath the clusters, she plucked the berries.

Chatham Light strobed a gull which slipped south-- a pin above Monomoy.

If he’d asked what she believed, for that moment, she could have said.

Their broken lives lay down in the dune, taken.

—Deirdre Grace Callanan

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Toile de Jouy When the seals poked their indigo snouts from the Atlantic, her father steadied the Leica, his shadow stenciled on linen sand, shot first their sad eyes, then her on the beach, serious.

Winters, they read by the stove, the photos lined above them accrued like so many stitches, black on white.

Each July, they searched the surf until horse-like heads popped up, bobbed on silk swells, their faces jet beads, gleaming.

In time, she did what he’d asked, the sky that night velvet as she rowed out beyond the tattered waves, his looseness a silver thread in a bolt of cloth the seals unwound as they followed in its trail.

—Deirdre Grace Callanan

SUMMER 2020 Âť 81

FINAL THOUGHT

Serve, Protect—and Read!

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

Yarmouth Police Sergeant Diana Wells is the mother of two young children, so she knows how the Covid-19 stay-at-home advisory presented some challenges to parents. “My kids were going a bit stir crazy with only us at home, so I knew it would be fun for little ones to have somebody else reading a book to them,” says Wells.

Inspired by a similar program at the Mashpee Police Department, Wells, along with Officer Mary Gibney and Officer Nicholas Giammarco, began making videos reading classic children’s books for Deputy Chief Kevin Lennon to post on the department’s Facebook page. “There has been a lot of excitement about the Story Time with the YPD program,” says Wells. “Other officers and department staff, including our dispatchers, have asked to participate.”

Wells, who has been with the Yarmouth Police for ten years, sees the effort as just part of the overall community outreach that the YPD has been engaging in during the coronavirus pandemic. “Our department is very open to welcoming ideas from officers about how we can help,” says Wells. YPD has been collecting gift cards to distribute to residents in need, doing 82 » capecodandtheislandsmag.com

care packages for home-bound individuals, and when possible, offering birthday “parades” for local kids.

Wells had her own children help her choose appealing books.

“I wanted to go with classics, like Good Night Moon and Where the Wild Things Are,” she said, and during National Sexual Assault Awareness Week, Wells read a book titled Don’t Touch My Hair. “I thought it was such a clever and friendly way of introducing body safety,” she says. “I read it to my own kids and found it to be a great way to open up a conversation about how no one should be touching our bodies without permission.”

The videos have received positive feedback from local families, who have welcomed the chance to give their children another outlet for learning. “I think it is fun and exciting for a kid to have a police officer reading a book to them,” says Wells. “Anything that can humanize the uniform is a good reminder for kids that police officers are normal people who can have fun.” As businesses and town facilities begin to open up, the YPD will continue to provide the extra services that have made staying at home easier to bear, says Wells. “We will keep on reading to kids as long as it is needed and wanted.”

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