Wednesday May 9, Join the Walk in Beech Forest, Find Sites of Mary Oliver's Poetry

You'll likely spot this fellow, or some of his friends and neighbors, on a walk through Beach Forest.

On a walk through Beech Forest you get a chance to use all of your senses. You can't walk more than a few yards without spotting, and hearing, a diverse assortment of wildlife. Some will be scurrying away from you, through the underbrush and tangles of vines, and some will be dive-bombing you from branches overhead when they fear you've come too close to a nest full of eggs or chicks.
The smell of damp grasses after a spring rain, or of young buds becoming blossoms, can rush back to you long years later and put a fresh smile on your face. In Beech Forest, at various "right moments" of the year, you can even taste a few of the marvels growing around you.

Beach Forest is full of sights and sounds of wildlife, like this chipmunk photobombing my trail shot.

Here, on walks alone, I can feel a sort of necessary solitude, among friends. I feel quite lucky to have one of my favorite momentary getaways so close to home. It seems to me no wonder that renowned poet Mary Oliver has found inspiration, and done some writing, on what must be countless Beech Forest walks.
Checking the weekly events section of the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House site, as I do, I found a blurb about tomorrow's walk in the forest, visiting sites of the poetry of Mary Oliver. That blurb led me to the site of the Outer Cape Chorale, where I found this invitation for all of us to join in:
Walk: The Poetry of Mary Oliver at Blackwater Pond, May 9, 1:00 pm. 1 ½ hours, 1 mile.
Ranger Jody Anastasio and writer Kathleen Henry, both members of the Outer Cape Chorale, will explore the place that inspired several of Mary Oliver’s poems.  Reflect on the natural elements that play into pieces from the upcoming Outer Cape Chorale concerts.  If you would like, bring your favorite Mary Oliver poem to share.  Meet at the Beech Forest Trail parking area, Race Point Road, Provincetown.
The UU has a great event coming up. More about that here tomorrow night, or click the UUMH link above, but be sure to save the date this coming Saturday night.
The OCC is preparing for their upcoming spring concert on May 18th, 19th and 20th. Again, I'll tell you more later, or you can click on their link above. As mentioned, Mary Oliver's poetry figures into this concert.
Try to get to Beech Forest tomorrow. When will be the next time you'll have a chance to join an event like this?

This Photo Captures Provincetown's Amazing Sand Dunes at Their Finest

At Dune Shacks Trail, by Mark Anthony Lynett, Provincetown Photography Page, Facebook.

This stunning photo is among the most remarkable images of Provincetown's spectacular dunes that I have ever seen. It was taken by Mark Anthony Lynett as he was hiking over a windswept hill, the first to make the trek since the blowing sands had last erased the evidence of any other beings who had walked this way.
He was kind enough to share it on Facebook, on the Provincetown Photography Page, where amazing photos of the harbor beaches, wildlife in the forests, the sun rising and setting, or a thousand other splendid, poignant images routinely appear, reminding us of the many reasons we live here, or visit when we can.
The Provincetown Photography Page is a public group with more than 12,000 members who range from amateurs to hobbyists to professional photographers who, together, have posted more than 106,000 photos of this place we all love. It is well worth looking up.
Warning - bring a cup of coffee or drinking water with you when you visit this page, and you may even want to pack a lunch, because you'll be here much longer than you can imagine, unable to stop looking at "just one more..."

The Herons Are Back in PTown's Wetlands

This striking heron stands motionless amidst reeds and grasses turning golden in the autumn season.

A month ago I wrote about the dearth of birds in and around the Provincetown wetlands, since hardly any had been spotted, except for the eastern great egret, sometimes called the white heron. That bird was seen regularly for a few weeks, but various night herons and others weren't appearing as they had in years past.
Now, for the last couple of weeks it seems that a couple of pairs of great blue herons have been making regular appearances among the little rivulets that raise and lower with the tides in the wetlands of the Far West End, to the west of the breakwater. Look for these stately birds when the little salt water creeks they fish in are at about half tide. That means a bit before or after the actual half tide in the harbor, since it takes a while for the tidal flow to seep through the breakwater and change the depth of the water circulating amongst the grasses and reeds.
These two couples are particularly handsome. They each seem to be very large, sleek, well marked examples of this lovely species, with the dark patches at the shoulders and thighs easily visible. A bit of your time spent patiently watching for them is quite likely to be rewarded with some remarkable sightings, and a chance for photos.

Dozens of Whales Visit PTown Shores

Spouts from these whales disappeared quickly on this breezy PTown afternoon.

Where are all these whales coming from?
This spouting whale, remarkably close to the coast at half-tide, was among a pod of seven or eight found quite close to the shoreline along Race Point Beach a couple of days ago.
Whales were spotted from the overlook at the Province Lands Visitor Center, with its stunning view out over Race Point Beach, when the Provincetown Trolley Tour stopped there to talk about marine wildlife, rum runners and the old shipwreck days.
When their tour guide on this trip spotted a whale spouting in the distance, it turned into a bonus whale watch for the Trolley's passengers, who watched excitedly as some six to eight whales, continuously spouting, ventured sometimes within 50 yards of the shoreline. A few fins and flukes were spotted, but most often seen on this day was the spouting, as several whales repeatedly surfaced for a breath of air.
For nearly three weeks whales have frequently put on a show in Provincetown waters, on almost a daily basis, spouting off both Herring Cove and Race Point beaches. They've been seen on several days, anywhere between 11 AM and 4 PM, to the delight of folks enjoying a day at the beach. On one particular day, passengers got to see whales spouting on nearly every tour of the Provincetown Trolley. On this glorious day, with superb visibility, it was hard to tell just how many whales were moving back and forth along the length of the beach, spouting one after another.

Green Cars Get Parking Perks in PTown

"Green" vehicles have a reserved parking space at the beach.

If you drive a car that gets great gas mileage and gives off very low emissions, or a zero-emission hybrid, or a car that uses alternative fuel, the National Park System has a reward for you…
There are 25 parking spaces in the east parking lot at Herring Cove Beach that are reserved for these "green" vehicles, very close to the snack bar, changing rooms and so forth, right near the edge of the beach. These are actually right next to the handicap spaces, which they outnumber two to one.
That's right… This lot has 12 reserved spaces for cars with handicap plates, and 25 reserved for drivers who have gone green. Will this become a trend in all federally operated facilities? Will it help to motivate people to consider the environment when they purchase their next car?
By the way, it takes over 39,000 gallons of water to manufacture a car, so speaking environmentally, you don't want to buy a new car very often. Also, some 1,851 gallons of water are used in refining a single gallon of crude oil. The tons of pollutants and chemicals put into our air by every conventional automobile on the road are not the only issues to consider when driving ourselves around the planet.
I don't know whether green parking spaces should outnumber those reserved for people with disabilities, and perhaps they should. The National Park Service must have studied this idea carefully before launching it. If this will help nudge more people toward adopting a greener way of life, I'm all for it.
Now, if only the NPS would provide the electrical hook-up at these spots so that drivers of electric cars could charge up their vehicles while they're at the beach. You'd think a few solar panels added to the restroom rooftop would do the job.

Beach Forest Trails Snowed Under

It's a rare winter in Provincetown when there aren't any bicycle tracks on snowy
trails. With several feet of snow in Beech Forest, this winter has been that rare one.

This photo was taken on the bike trail, the branch that runs from Beech Forest to the Province Lands Visitor Center, early Sunday morning.
As we've had a little warmer weather this week, what with temperatures finally above freezing most days, and lows at least in the mid-twenties, the snow pack in the Cape Cod National Seashore, and the endless drifts and mounds found all around Provincetown, slowly begin to melt away. Don't hold your breath, though. The amount of snow we've had, and the tremendous banks and heaps of this unique winter, will likely take a very long time to disappear.

PTown's Cranberry Harvest

It takes a while to pick this many wild cranberries, but it's worth the effort.

I've talked to a lot of hikers and foragers this week, and from all accounts, wild cranberries seem to be abundant this year, and are ready to gather from the low-lying spots in the forests, and even in the very low spots in the dunes, where the water tends to pool up after the rainfall. These are the spots where cranberries seem grow the best, completely wild and natural, and they are ours for the taking. An afternoon spent strolling through the forests can lead you to a cache of cranberries to put in your muffins, jellies, chutneys and any number of recipes that can be enhanced with this tart, toothsome and delightful little berry.
In a commercial cranberry bog, things are a bit different from a wild bog. The amount of water in the bogs can be controlled, and at harvest time the bogs are flooded, with the berries floating to the surface. Machinery is used to agitate the water, and more berries break away from the vines and float to the top, where they are scooped up by more machines. Commercial cranberry bogs cover about 13,000 acres of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, producing over 2 million barrels of cranberries in the average autumn season. The more rain we get in the summertime, the bigger the cranberries, which tend to plump up in years with generous rainfall.
The Provincetown Council on Aging is planning a trip to Harwich on Tuesday, October 21st, at 9 AM, to tour a working cranberry bog. This 1 1/2 hour tour will teach us about the cranberry industry and the harvesting process, and includes a ride around the bog with a guide. A special price of $12.50 for the tour has been arranged for COA members, and the group will stop for lunch at the Jail House Tavern in Orleans, where meals start at around $10, before returning to Provincetown. Call the Council on Aging at 508 487-7080 to reserve your trip.
In the meantime, get out for a stroll in the Provincelands, take a bucket with you, and bring home some of these remarkable, tasty little fruits that are native to this beautiful land we live on.

Tour the Race Point Lighthouse

In this long-distance view from the Provincelands Visitor Center, Hatch's Harbor
lies between the viewer and the Race Point Lighthouse, with the old lighthouse
keeper's cottage to the left, and the old whistle house to the right.

The volunteers that look after the Race Point Lighthouse and the buildings on these grounds will give the public one last tour for the 2014 season tomorrow, Saturday, October 4th, from 10 AM till 2 PM. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle with the proper over-sand permit you can drive out to this spot, or you can walk out either from Herring Cove Beach or from the tiny parking area at the bike trail underpass near the sharp bend on the hill that lies halfway down Provincelands Road.
This free tour will be given by one of some 60 volunteers who look after these grounds in various ways, from planting beach grass to running the tiny gift shop in the old kitchen pantry of the keeper's house. The Race Point Light Station is operated by the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. Sales of souvenirs and T-shirts make up a major part of the funding for the upkeep of this little gem in Provincetown's maritime history, and, of course, contributions of any amount are always welcome as well.
You'll tour the grounds and visit the various buildings, such as the old whistle house, where the steam-generated fog signal sounded constantly in bad weather, saving countless mariners from running aground on the shifting sands just off the shoreline.
The highlight of the tour is climbing up into the lamp room of the Race Point Light, with a panoramic view out over Hatch's Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the little dunes and forests that surround Race Point, so be sure to bring your camera.
For more information click on this link to Tours of Race Point Lighthouse, or call Clay Beless at 508 362-9304. For about 12 years he and his wife Nancy have been among the dozens of volunteers who keep up the grounds and look after the upkeep of the Race Point Light along with giving occasional tours and hosting folks who make a reservation to stay in the keepers house or the old whistle house in the summer. Click to find out about Accommodations at Race Point Lighthouse. Reservations for a stay  during the 2015 season can be made online beginning November 1st, with some people reserving just a minute past midnight to be sure to get the room and the dates they want.
In the meantime, get out to Race Point on Saturday for your last chance of the season to tour this remarkable bit of Provincetown's history.

A Variety of Herons are Spotted in Provincetown's Wetlands and Ponds

This Yellow-crowned Night Heron made a daylight appearance
in the pond along Provincelands Road.

This year there seem to be several types of herons in the marshes, ponds and wetlands surrounding Provincetown. Although his hairdo seems to fall a bit flat, this fellow appears to be a Yellow-crowned Night Heron, found fishing for his lunch in the salt pond along Provincelands Road. Like the Great Blue Heron, which seems to be the one most often spotted in the Provincelands, this stocky bird stands motionless, waiting for a little fish or a frog to swim by, then pounces on his prey, making it part of his lunch.
This particular bird generally does most of its hunting after dark, but around these parts, feeding time seems to have more to do with the timing of the tides rather than the hour or the daylight. Look for these birds and other herons at about half-tide, as the water in this pond and in the wetlands around it is rising with the tide.

Wildlife Abounds in PTown

Wildlife of all kinds treks over the hills of Provincetown. Click on this photo.

The tracks of all kinds of wildlife can be found on the sandy hillsides and dunes around Provincetown. The forest, wetlands and the dunes are home to deer, fox, raccoon, coyote, rabbit, skunk, turtle, opossum, squirrel, chipmunk, meadow vole and hundreds of migrating birds, along with many others. At any time these little hillsides can show us the tracks of all of these, and many more, including the humans walking over the hills and out to the beaches. We should try to disturb as little of this delicate habitat as possible while enjoying our own recreation.
If you go walking out this way, please make sure you are not contributing to the erosion of the dunes by treading on the plant life, which can be very fragile even though it's resilient enough to grow in nothing but sand. And if you can't resist the urge to climb up on top of some of these hills, please be careful about how much sand you dislodge and send rolling down the slope behind you. Please do your part to preserve the fragile environment that surrounds this bit of paradise we call Provincetown. These lovely hummocks get a little smaller with each one of us who clambers up to conquer the hill.

Park Rangers Lead PTown Activities Along the Cape Cod National Seashore

A family canoes through Provincetown's wetlands.

This family paddles their way through the marsh and wetlands in Provincetown's Far West End, enjoying a canoe trip led by a park ranger from the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Each summer a wide variety of activities led by park rangers both educate and entertain thousands of visitors to Provincetown shores.
Here's a link to the National Park Service website, with a tremendous amount of information about park resources on Cape Cod. Here's a link to ranger-led activities on the outer cape for August, 2014. Also, the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station will be open daily from 2 PM until 4 PM, offering an open house, and the chance to get inside this historic building and see how those brave men who manned these lifesaving stations lived.
The U S Lifesaving Service was founded in 1871 in response to thousands of shipwrecks on American shores. In those days a shipwreck could occur as often as two or three times a month anywhere along the shoreline of Cape Cod. There's a re-enactment of the breeches buoy rescue drills on the grounds of the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station on Thursday evenings, and a variety of ranger-led hikes and other regular activities are available. Check the schedules and get out and enjoy the resources of the national park that surrounds Provincetown.

Gather Ye Mushrooms While Ye May

Persistence pays off in the search for mushrooms.

It took the better part of the day, but this gentleman and his family (his wife and their two children) finally were able to gather enough wild mushrooms to nearly fill their bucket. They drove to Provincetown on their annual mushroom pilgrimage and went wandering in the little hillsides surrounding Province Lands Road, out near the visitor center, where the land isn't exactly forest and not exactly dunes either, but rather a verdant combination of small, sandy hills and little pockets of pitch pines and scrub oaks, with the occasional fox or coyote thrown in for local color.
These folks rambled over dozens of scenic acres, peeking beneath shrubs and around tree trunks for the elusive edible mushrooms that are scattered all too sparsely through these little hummocks this year. The dearth of rainfall this spring may have something to do with this year's scarcity of the fungus that brings carloads of visitors to this part of the Cape Cod National Seashore each autumn for a peaceful walk among the changing colors of the season while they forage for these delicious morsels.
My favorite Provincetown chef told me he hunted for two hours the other day and found just two mushrooms, and he remarked that the cranberries looked to be about three weeks behind schedule, too, with none quite ready to pick that day. We've had rainfall this year far below the amount we receive in the average year. This spring we got very little, and we stand at less than 10% of the average rainfall over the past month, which may have something to do with the lack of mushrooms this season, and the slower growth of the cranberries. But I've also met a few folks who have filled their mushroom baskets and buckets to the brim, with persistence paying off during a longer walk.
If you know your mushrooms and are confident in your ability to recognize the edible varieties, by all means, get out for a little hike and find the tasty few that await you. Just remember to be careful not to walk on any of the plant life as you wander. Some of these plants and grasses are extremely fragile. And remember to cut your mushrooms off at the base of the stem rather than plucking them out of the ground so that they can continue to sprout more mushrooms for others to find later. If you don't know very much about wild mushrooms, get out and enjoy the stroll anyway, but simply admire the lovely mushrooms you might discover and just walk on by. We want you to live to take another walk amongst the mushrooms another day.

Pick Your Own Beach Plums

 For the last week or two people have been wandering the edges of the dunes carrying bags and baskets, picking beach plums as they find them ripe and ready to eat, leaving behind fruit that is not yet at its peak.
In a few more days, when those little plums are finally ripe, someone else coming along will pick them.

These little one-inch plums are delicious on their own, and they also make a great jam or jelly.
You might also find them at the farmer's market near Town Hall on Saturdays. Birdsong Farm in Dennis grows them, and there may be others nearby as well. Beach plums are becoming a popular addition to the orchards of small farms. They thrive in the poorest of soils, surviving drought and the harshest winter weather.

This woman was gathering beach plums near the Provincelands Visitor Center last week. Generally, picking anything in a national park is prohibited, but when the Town of Provincetown turned over roughly 4,000 acres of land, sand dunes, ponds and wildlife to the National Park Service in the 1960s, we insisted on continued traditional uses of the land. One of those uses was berry picking. So at the right time of year blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, beach plums and  others can be gathered on these national park lands. I've never run across the strawberries, myself, but two friends have each found them, and I've tasted all but those elusive strawberries.
In a couple of spots in the dunes you can even find high bush blueberries, growing on what amounts to a scraggly sort of tree about eight feet tall. Delicious! Just make sure you know what you're picking. There are a lot of blue berries in the forests and the dunes, but they aren't all blueberries. If you're not sure about what might be edible, just admire the lovely plant and walk on by. Not all the berries and fruits you'll find are safe to eat. And for mushrooms, you'll want to go with someone who has really studied the varieties you'll find out in the park. Many are poisonous.
The beach plums are pretty easy to identify. Nothing else out there looks quite the same. If you go out in search of beach plums this week remember to be kind to the land and to your fellow humans. Make sure you don't trample any plants or ground cover as you walk through the forests or dunes, and don't snatch up every bit of fruit you come across. Food gathering etiquette demands that we each pick just enough for our own use, and maybe a few to share with friends, but leave enough for other folks to do the same.

Enjoy the Flowers of the Season in PTown

I found this stunning bed of tulips, a variety I'd never seen before, on Anthony Street.

At this time of year a walk will bring you to flowers that will be gone all too soon. As the season turns into summer some of the gorgeous flowers of the spring will begin to disappear as other varieties come into bloom. On Anthony Street I found these lovely tulips, a new variety for me. The colors and shapes of the petals are a little different from any others I've ever come across. I'm not sure how long they will bloom, so I'm definitely enjoying them while I can.
Out in the National Seashore, along Provincelands Road, and on Race Point Road, near the Provincelands Visitor Center, the Scotch broom is in bloom for only another few days or so. This seasonal plant, with its bright yellow little blossoms stretching the length of its clusters of long stems, is actually a weed, related to the pea family, and capable of growing in harsh conditions like the sandy hillsides on the edges of the dunes. In some parts considered an invasive species and a nuisance, here, it helps to hold the sand in place, keeping it from constantly blowing onto the roads, or disappearing altogether in the stiff winds that can blow through this area, making it useful as well as beautiful. It may have been brought here from its native Scotland as a means to control coastal erosion, having been noticed thriving in the rather harsh maritime conditions found "across the pond" in the British Isles.

Blossoms of Scotch broom resemble those of green peas, but a bright yellow.

Some research sources say it may have been brought over as an ornamental plant used in Victorian gardens. Other sources say it began growing in US locations by accident wherever it fell to the ground. Since it was quite springy, resilient, cheap and plentiful, it was used in shipping cases of Scotch whiskey to foreign lands, layered between the precious bottles, acting sort of like packing peanuts or bubble wrap in the middle 1800s. A lot of it sprung up in California Gold Rush towns in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, where it is often considered a nuisance these days. A lot of whiskey was transported out west to lonely miners with a few dollars to spend, and no doubt many cases found their way to Provincetown as the cargo was shipped across the Atlantic and arrived on Yankee shores.
Take a walk or a bike ride out on the trails before this plant disappears, and take a stroll on Provincetown's streets to enjoy the flowers of the season before we get into the heat of the summer and the wonders brought by that kind of weather.

Park Rangers Lead all Kinds of Activities in Provincetown

The CapeCod National Seashore Sponsors many events and activities led by the Park Rangers every week in the summertime. You could take a dune walk, learn to snorkel, look for seals hauled out on a remote beach, go kayaking, explore the tidal flats, or enjoy any number of other great activities. On Tuesday nights at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham, the Rangers give talks on many topics including marine wildlife, birds of prey, local characters and many more subjects. They are often joined by storytellers, musicians and many others.
Coming up on Tuesday, JULY 31st, a program entitled "OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A FISH?" promises an evening of family fun complete with song, dance, and audience participation. Join minstrel storyteller Mary Jo Maichack for this program of folklore and songs of the sea. All programs begin at 7 PM but space is limited and doors open at 6:30, so you want to go a little early. Programs typically run about an hour. Free parking is readily available, but the Flex Bus stops at the visitor center on the hour till 8 PM and heads back toward PTown at forty-five minutes past the hour till 9:45 PM, so you may be able to leave the car behind. Call the Salt Pond Visitor Center at 508-255-3421 to see how late they will stay open after the program.

Here are just a few of the activities available in Provincetown:

WALK: NIGHT PATROL AT OLD HARBOR - 1 1⁄2 hours, 1⁄4 mile. Free. The heroic surfmen of the U.S. Lifesaving Service were always ready for a rescue, especially at night. Experience the station and the beach at night as if it were the early 1900s. Hear stories about shipwrecks and those who inhabited the station. Meet at Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, Race Point Beach. Saturdays at 7:30 PM.

WALK: TIDAL FLATS FORAY - 1 1⁄2 hours, 1⁄2 mile. Free. Get your feet wet as you explore the abundance and diversity of life in an intertidal zone in Provincetown. Mondays and Wednesdays in July, times vary.

CANOE ADVENTURE: LONG POINT - up to 3 hours, 3 miles. Fee required. Paddle across Provincetown Harbor to explore marsh, tidal flats, and dunes. Learn about the interesting history of Long Point. If conditions permit, swimming and snorkeling may be possible. Fridays at varying times. call Province Lands Visitor Center, 508-487-1256 for more information.

ACTIVITY: SEAL PUP STORIES - 1⁄2 hour. Free. Where are seals born, and what do they need while growing up? Join a naturalist for an indoor program about seals, including short activities and a story, geared toward ages 3 to 8. Parents must remain with children. Meet at Province Lands Visitor Center, Thursdays at 4 PM.

HIKE: ART IN THE DUNES - 3 hours, 2 1⁄2 to 3 miles in loose sand. Free. On this long hike into the Province Lands dunes, view firsthand the quality of light, natural environment, and isolation that have long attracted artists and writers to Provincetown. Meet an artist-in-residence at a dune shack. Reservation required. Tuesdays at 4 PM.

CAMPFIRE: HERRING COVE BEACH - 1 hour. Free. Enjoy sunset on the beach and an evening of folklore and games around the campfire. At some programs, campfires will include sing-along programs sponsored by Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, with special guests Denya LeVine, Randy Patterson and Tim Dickey. Bring a beach chair or towel to sit on. Meet the rangers at the end of the right-hand parking area at Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown. * Accessible with assistance if Province Lands Visitor Center is notified in advance, 508-487-1256. Fridays at 7:30 PM in July, at 7 PM in August.


Here is one of my favorites of all the programs and activities sponsored by CCNS:
HISTORICAL REENACTMENT: BEACH APPARATUS DRILL - 1 hour. Fee required. Listen for the keeper’s command, “Open the boat room doors!” and return to the days of shipwrecks and lifesaving along Cape Cod. Watch uniformed surfmen fire a line from a cannon to a “ship” in distress and haul the “victim” to shore. This is our 33rd year re-enacting this 1902 rescue drill. This event takes place at the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, Race Point Beach. $5 for adults; $2 for seniors over 62 and children 7 to 17; children 6 and under are free. Thursday evenings at 6 PM


Click this link for a list of CCNS Ranger-Led Activities and scroll down to the Provincetown section. Truro, just south of Provincetown, also has a number of interesting programs listed in their slot on this same schedule. For more info or for reservations phone the Province Lands Visitor Center at 508-487-1256.