Orleans Firebirds

For decades, the Cape Cod baseball league has brought star college players from all around the country to compete against the other best amateur baseball players in the summer.

 Before the games, some players relax and loosen up (like Arizona's Bobby Dalbec, 

who led the Cape league in home runs this summer). 

 Others practice their pitcher-scaring expressions (like Mercer's Kyle Lewis, who led the Southern conference in batting average and home runs this past school year). 

The sidelines are packed.  Fortunately, friends arrived early and saved a good spot.

On a perfect summer night, there are few things better than a well-played baseball game.

Orleans had the best record during the regular season.  They beat Chatham in the first game of the playoffs the night I was there, but a week later they were out of the playoffs.  Next year!

Wellfleet

Wellfleet is a quaint town on the Outer Cape, with many art galleries.

This woman is going to be shocked when the bronze figure throws that ball at her.

Mansard roofs were popular in 19th century Wellfleet.  To honor its artist colony reputation,

I put this photo through a watercolor program.  What do you think?

There are crafts shops in addition to art galleries.

This gallery owner is proud of her balanced, geometric garden.

And, even a local market owner makes its streetside display kind of artistic in Wellfleet.

Da-a-a-d!

I got off the bike trail to ride to Crosby Lane Beach in Brewster.  Actually, I did it twice, 

once at low tide and later at high tide.  The beach was packed both times on a hot day.

I like bayside beaches at low tide.  The departed tide leaves warm, shallow pools
with wiggling marine life.  Boats are left high and dry until the next tide comes  in.

This three-legged dad carried a grumpy child who was suffering from an excess of beach fun.

On the second visit to the beach, the tide had floated the boats and provided more water

 for swimming and splashing.

This dad was spinning the girls in circles and provoking the "oh, dad!" squeals I remember so well.

I hope I am around long enough to spin new granddaughter Willa and 

generate some of those happy giggles.

And, beachgoers, like cyclists, must fit ice cream into their plans.

Cape Cod Rail Trail

The Cape Cod Rail Trail runs over an abandoned railbed for 25 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet.

Bicyclists and walkers swarm over the popular trail, including this group from a local summer camp.

While primarily traversing forests and marshes, the trail intersects with civilization
from time to time.  Shops to rent or repair bikes are found along the way.

The trail runs beside the Namskaket Marsh, a beautiful wetlands area leading to bayside beaches.

Any sensible cyclist must plan a stop for ice cream.

And, steps away from the ice cream store, Kathy Nora and Dan Joy just finished painting a mural of the former Orleans train depot on the back of a CVS store.  Nice tribute to the train heritage that
now gives us the bike trail.  (Linked to Monday Mural.)

The Sun Goes Down at First Encounter Beach

I was on Cape Cod last week.  First Encounter Beach in Eastham is the place where
 Miles Standish and some other English bullies tried to steal the Indians' winter provisions.
They were beaten back and sailed on to Plymouth.

First Encounter is a west-facing bayside beach, so the sunsets and afterglow can be wonderful.

This photo shows the patterns of water and sand, at the price of less color in the sky.

So, for fans of evening colors, here is a photograph from a camera aimed into the western sky.

And, for contrast, here is a shot taken seconds later, shooting eastward toward the beach.

Two Corners. One Win, One Loss.

The Elishah Wadsworth Tavern sits on the corner of the Albany Turnpike (Route 44) and Prospect Ave., the dividing line between Hartford and West Hartford.  Built in 1828, it became a residence long ago.  Over time, it deteriorated and had several cheap updates.  A couple of years ago a
builder specializing in fine homes gave it a top to bottom reconstruction.  

Half a mile to the west, on another busy corner, this 1928 Craftsman-style bungalow declined for years as an elderly homeowner was increasingly unable to keep it up.  A developer bought it and plans to demolish the house and build two new homes on the lot.  Preservation advocates 

discovered the plans too late.  The trees have been removed and  the developer is racing 

to take it down before he is stopped. 

Faces in the Crowd at Cedar Hill Cemetery

Cynthia was two years old when she died.
Her parents must have wanted to remember the happy days, not the sad ones. 

"I sleep to awaken."

One of a pair of haunting female faces on the tomb of Horace Wells, inventor of anesthesia.

Groupon sold many coupons for discount-priced togas in the 19th century.

James Laurie, a Scot, was the founder and first president of 

The American Society of Civil Engineering.