Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Finally... Some Snow!
Here it Comes!
Winter on Cape Cod is nothing to feel bad about missing altogether. For the better part of 6 months its just cold damp and monotonous. The weather can never seem to commit to either sleet or rain - rarely snow. But, every so often, the weather service sends a little ray of winter sunshine in the form of a "Winter Storm Warning." Here's the latest; and because of where we're situated; 30 miles out in the relatively warm Atlantic, we sometimes find ourselves in the birthplace of these storms or "Nor-Eastah's" Here's the report I'm watching (doesn't it sound GREAT!)...
A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY.
A CLASSIC WINTERTIME NOREASTER WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TODAY. IT WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TONIGHT AND LIKELY BE SITUATED JUST SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD IN ADVANCE OF THIS LOW AND WILL REACH THE WARNING AREA BY THIS EVENING. THE SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES OVERNIGHT AND CONTINUE SUNDAY MORNING. THE LOW WILL PULL AWAY DURING THE DAY SUNDAY WHICH WILL ALLOW THE SNOW TO TAPER OFF AND END SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
AS THE LOW APPROACHES TONIGHT... NORTHEAST TO NORTH WINDS WILL BECOME QUITE STRONG. SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT AND SUNDAY WITH GUSTS POSSIBLY REACHING 60 MPH. THIS COMBINED WITH HEAVY SNOW WILL CAUSE BLINDING SNOW AT TIMES... WITH VISIBILITIES BEING REDUCED TO UNDER A QUARTER MILE. SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW IS ALSO EXPECTED. THE SNOW MAY MIX WITH RAIN OR SLEET FOR A TIME ON NANTUCKET AND THE OUTER CAPE TONIGHT. STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 7 TO 15 INCHES. LOWER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE OUTER CAPE AND ISLANDS IF MORE RAIN MIXES IN LONGER THAN EXPECTED.
TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED TONIGHT AND SUNDAY AS IT WILL BECOME DIFFICULT AT BEST... AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Winter's Here
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Some are Getting Snow... Lots O' Rain For Us
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Oystering Day 2
This is my new gear this season: An actual clamming bucket, rather than a 3-gallon paint bucket. I just put the orange water-noodle on it this week. With a leash, the bucket now floats at arms reach from me. I also have a deeper plastic tub (to keep the waves out), a 3-foot "grabber," and the sleeves from my old surfing wetsuit.
This is a full 5-quart catch, or about 4-dozen 3 1/2-inch oysters. I didn't see many people leaving today without their limit.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Brewster Oysters - Tough Day
So THIS week became opening Sunday. I arrived with the masses at about 1 1/2 hours before the low tide and joined the rest of the oyster-addicts out there in this week's slightly-less-than-a-Nor-Eastah'. The wind was blowing 20mph from the North West, and it completely churned up the water into a dense brown soup. You couldn't see a thing. The only way to find 'em was to take off your gloves and just blindly feel for them on the bottom. I felt lucky to get my limit.
If next week is decent weather, there should be a bunch, since there were a lot of people leaving the beach with only some or NONE in their baskets. (look at the frustrated look on the guy standing to the left)
(click images for a larger view)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wow... Guggenheim Grotto Acoustic... Just Wow.
They played to a packed house, but it was a very small, very intimate venue. I was at a table, second out from the stage and it was really a treat. Two hightlights for now before I get back to work... 1) In the song, "Cold Truth," Kevin plays the lead guitar. I never realized this until I watched Mick pass the Guitar to Kevin, that Kevin plays left handed and holds the guitar upside-down. And 2), for their encore, they did a three-song set that included at the very end, a completely un-mic-ed "What is this Feeling." It sounded something like this one from another show... [watch video]
(The photo is a still from a youtube vid at the same venue back in June)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Turtles!
She set the bag down and opened it up. Along with a pile of orange wedges and a few bottles of water were tiny, half-dollar sized little turtles. There must have been around a half dozen and one of the girls picked one up. "They're snapping turtles!" she excaimed with glee. "They were all over the field. We kept these ones... We're going to put them in our pond," she said.
"Yikes!" My mind instantly flashed back to the Mill Pond and all the white-whale adventures we had floating around on that murky pool. I don't remember our monsters there as cute as these little hatchlings. (The movie, "Gremlins" comes to mind) Soccer saved the day for these guys, and surely an opportunistic gull missed out on a quick and easy breakfast.
And, it wasn't only snapping turtles that caught a break today. When I was buying Milk at Cumberland Farms today (only because they charge an average dollar less than the grocery store charges), a Chatham nartural resources officer pulled up, and he had an endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle in the car. They wash up on the beach this time of year, and usually in bad weather. They are cold stunned and lost on their migration back to the south.
No Oystering tomorrow. The town postponed the harvest until next week due to the extreme weather. (Noreaster blowing since Thursday)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Cranberries on Cape Cod
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Oyster Season!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Peach Harvest
Monday, September 14, 2009
What a Difference a Day (and a half) Makes!
(click images to see them larger)
Buchholz piched a gem. Kotsay, gathering up an overthrow to first, threw out the go-ahead run at the plate, and Oki came in to hold 'em in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Poppi pinch-hit for Bay and blasted a double into right field. He was in turn, pinch-run by Joey Gathright. Elsbury bunted him to 3rd (and almost beat the throw to first himself). Then, Pedroia tried to sac-fly Gathright home and ended up hitting himself a 2-run homer. Papelbon came on in the 9th to close it out and the Sox had 2 out of 3 from the Rays. Later they would win the 2nd game of the Double header to complete the sweep.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Great Whites off Chatham
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Aliens Hatching!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Nature Aliens
We took him home, along with his leaf, found him
some MORE milkweed and let him eat...
(August 19 photo)
He ate all day Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday,
he hung upside down, and on Thursday around noon,
when no one was watching he turned into this...
(August 21 photo)
(click photos to see bigger images)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Canon Digital Rebel Error 99
At first, it only would occur occasionally, but recently, the Err99 had been getting more and more frequent. It got to the point, this past Sunday, that even after clearing 6 or 7 times, I could still not get the camera fire.
I had almost given in to the fact that I would have to send it back to Canon, and lose at a minimum 2 weeks, but more likely 2 months, of prime shooting time here on Cape Cod. Luckily, (and hopefully) this little fix I found online has done the trick. So far so good... I'm crossing my fingers.
There seem to be many probable solutions, but the one that I used was the first one recommended. Take a look at Richard's Blog for all the info.
Thanks Richard!
Click here for Canon Err99 Error Code Solutions
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The Weekend of the Summer
SATURDAY
Blueberry Picking
Beachin' it at Robin's Hill Beach
Found some tree frogs
Made some delicious local pan-seared sesame tuna (new recipe)
Good Beer (Dogfish 90-minute of course)
Red Sox Win!
SUNDAY
Beach Day - It's all about the sandwich.
High Tide, Sea Dragon, Playing on the air-sand sandbar, the baby napped
Quahoggin' - only 4, but that's enough
The Mimosa is in full Bloom
More Dogfish 90-minute
Red Sox SWEEP!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
And the Results...
It was tough leaving all those fish to go into work, but I had commitments. We fished on the way back, in what turned out to be a VERY fishy tidal river. The fish were all coming in with the tide and they were everywhere. Maybe I'll try tomorrow too... who needs sleep?!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Fishing?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Rockport Scenerey
Click the arrow in the center to start the show, then to see a full-screen slideshow, click the little icon at the bottom right of the viewer with the little "corner-arrows" or click here. Click your "esc" key to get back to the blog.
(Facebook - click here for slideshow)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Pesto Pains
C'mon Shaw's, stop gouging us. What the HELL!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Will Walked
He's very proud. We're proud. He walked right across the room, then turned and walked the other way.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Whoopie Pies
"Gotta move those whoopie pies - put 'em on the thank list."
Martha's Vineyard Ferry Ride
Click the arrow in the center to start the show. To see a full-screen view, click the little icon at the bottom right of the viewer with the little "corner-arrows". Click your "esc" key to get back to the blog.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Testing the slideshow Thingy from flickr (Rockport Photos)
Click esc to get back to the blog
(It's windy as all hell out... welcome summer)
A Cape Cod Box Turtle!
This is an Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) . This one is a female I'm guessing because she has brown eyes. Apparently, the females have brown eyes and the males have red ones. I wondered if she was making a nest. I know the snapping turtles are at it this time of year, but I didn't see any disturbed dirt around her.
Will loved it, but she closed herself up pretty quickly and never poked her head out again after I handed her over to Will. Good idea. He eats everything.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Are we there yet, are we there yet...
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Elvers!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Great Game - A Great Time
- Big 6th inning rally to take the lead and keep it to the end.
- Not a big enough lead to keep our star closer off the mound (Tampa has earned the right to see Pap, even with a 4-run lead)
- A full moon rose over right field grandstand
- It was 79 degrees at game time... yeah... 79 and the forecast had originally called for rain and wind.
- Great bird's-eye-view seats high above 3rd base in the State Street Pavillion (Front Row)
- Jason Bay crushed a 3-run homer into the Monster Seats
- They were serving Guiness and Sam Adams on Draft...
- I survived a super-dog
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I'm Home... and So Are the Herring
Not only did we return, but also, our "Stony Brook" herring have returned in force. There were mobs of them in the stream this weekend, and I stopped on the way to work on Tuesday to get these photos.
(and ps... the Red Sox just tied the game!)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Pilgrimage to Dogfish Ale House in DC
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A Band For Chase - The Heartless Bastards
4/24/09 DENVER, CO - Gothic Theatre
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I Cleaned the Sensor on my Canon Digital Rebel Camera
Back on April 7, I took the plunge with my digital SLR and decided to try and clean the sensor myself. After reading several articles on the best ways how to (and how not to) do it," I figured I might as well give it a try since, with the rate I switch out lenses, and with the amount of dust I seem to collect on the sensor, I couldn't afford to keep taking it in to be cleaned at $50 a pop. And, even though every article and post I read warned "...don't blame us if you destroy your camera doing this..." many of them also said, "there's nothing to it..." so I figured it's worth the risk. To make a long boring story short and ultimately sweet, the cleaning went fine, but I found I had to do it 3 times, each time holding my heart in my throat as I dragged my modified pec-pad-coverd spatula across the sensor, a little harder each time... until finally... no dust.
There is a great article on the whole process here [Cleaning the CMOS Sensor on your Digital Camera]. If you decide to proceed, read this article carefully, and read all the comments. There are some really good tips. My camera is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel (350D). I used a silicone spatula trimmed to 14mm, covered with a pec-pad moistend with Eclipse solution. The article linked above has all the info and resources on where to get this stuff, but I bought from Adorama.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Spring Peepers
Outside my window is the sound of regular drip drip drips of rain freefalling from the second floor gutter and hitting the bent aluminum curve at the bottom of the downspout. Drip drip drip drip drip. It will do this all night. The other sound is the sound of the spring peepers. Tiny frogs that come out of the mud in spring all at once on a particular day and start singing. If you didn't know they were frogs, you might think some bunch of crazy song birds were up at night. Sweeet sweeeet sweeeet sw - sweee suh swee suh sweee sweet. It's a steady chorus late into the night. Every so often they all go silent, all at once, and then after a pause, they get into it again. At some point, they will stop singing altogether. I wonder if there is a leader frog that tells eveyone when to start and stop peeping. Hmmmm.
Monday, March 30, 2009
I LOVE Flash!
On the flip side... the boss just agreed to get me Adobe CS4 Web Pro... (sweet!)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I found some motivation and started painting my storm windows yesterday. Yup.... that's right, the ones that have been stacked in the garage all winter. The ones I got last September so we'd conserve heat this winter. Well, I never was able to find a weekend to paint them, so they never made it up onto the house, and as I listen to the furnace blasting away right now, I cringe at the thought of what the heating costs are going to look like at the end of the season.
The temperature hit 48 degrees by yesterday afternoon, and I figured that would be good enough to get some paint down. I was wrong. It turned out that 48 was as warm as it was going to get. As I worked, the temperature went down. The latex paint I was using globbed up within minutes and when I thinned it with hot water, it went on too thin, so after fighting with two windows, I gave up. I got the chainsaw out and hacked up a few fallen trees and their branches into fireplace size pieces. I love the chainsaw. It beats painting any day, and I can use the wood to offset the heating cost next winter...(unlikely with our fireplace, but who knows).
Friday, March 20, 2009
Spring! 7:44 am
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Whales...er Whale
Monday, March 9, 2009
Brewster Oysters - Best in the World
Oyster cages on a farm off Brewster.
Wild oysters clinging to a stone on the Cape Cod Bay flats.
An adult (harvestabale) oyster growing wild on the Cape Cod Bay flats. (The season ended on March 3rd though)