Long Pasture Butterfly Mosaic Trail

There are so many wonderful walking trails on Cape Cod. A really special trail can be found in Barnstable called the Long Pasture Butterfly Mosaic Trail. it is a series of ten native wildflower plots along a 1/4 mile trail through open fields. Here you will explore the most utilized nectaring and host plants for 30 butterfly species. The beautiful field is called a butterfly Mosaic because of all the beautiful colors.

The sanctuary also has a naturalist lead boat cruise and kayak tours, a vast tidal flat and beach overlooking Barnstable Harbor and farm animals.

I was especially interested in the plants that they have organized to attract the butterflies. Listed below is an outline of the host plants with the butterflies that they attract.

Plot 1- Golden Alexander- attracts the Eastern Black Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail Butterflies

Plot 2- False Nettles-attracts the Red Admiral Butterfly
Sweet Everlasting & Pussytoes- attracts American Lady Butterfly
Thistles & Mallows- attracts Painted Lady Butterfly
Beardtongue, Lanceolate Plantain, Turtlehead- attracts Baltimore Checkerspot
Snapdragons-attracts Common Buckeye

Plot 3- Legumes- attracts Eastern Tailed Blue
Low Blue Berry Bush, Arrow wood and Choke Cherry- attracts Apring Azure Butterfly

Plot 4 – Dogbane, Legumes- attracts Southern Cloudywing
Dogbane, Bluestem Grass, Bearberry- attracts Delaware Skipper Butterfly

Plot 5- Bluestem Grass- attracts Common Wood- Nymph
Milkweeds-attracts Monarch Butterfly

Plot 6- Sheep Sorrel- attracts American Copper
Beach Plum, Choke Cherry-attracts Coral Hairstreak Butterfly

Plot 7- Birch, Willow, Poplar- attracts Morning Cloak Butterfly
Asters- attracts Pearl Crescent Butterfly
False Nettle, Red Maple- attracts Question mark Butterfly

Plot 8- Mustards, Wild Peppergrass- attracts Cabbage White Butterfly
Legumes-attracts Clouded Sulphur Butterfly
Legumes- attracts Orange Sulphur Butterfly

Plot 9- Dutchman’s Pipe- attracts Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
Beach Plum, Willows, Black Cherry, Poplar- attracts Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Plot 10- Violets- attracts Bordered Fritillary Butterfly
Willow- attracts Viceroy Butterfy
Violets- attracts Great Spangled Fritillary

And I thought the Butterfly Bush that I love to purchase at our local Agway was the main butterfly attraction:)

I have very fond memories when I was a young girl of finding the monarch caterpillar that i found on milk weeds growing in a wild field near our home. We would place the caterpillar in a jar and give it fresh milk weed each day. It was so much fun watching the transformation and as a little child I remember thinking how magical nature can be.

We have beautiful gardens at our two Cape Cod Bed and Breakfasts, Brewster by the Sea Inn and Spa and the Captain Freeman Inn. This list of host plants to attract butterflies provided by the Mass Audubon Society has been really helpful as we are always looking for new ways to attract birds and butterflies to our Cape Cod gardens.

The Long Pasture Butterfly Mosaic Trail is well worth a visit during your Cape Cod holiday.

Summer theatre in Brewster on Cape Cod

We just received the summer schedule for our local theatre in Brewster, Cape Rep Theatre. We love, love, love Cape Rep which has talent from near and far. This year’s calender is sure to please guests staying at our two Cape Cod Bed and Breakfasts, Brewster by the Sea Inn and Spa and the Captain Freeman Inn.

The theatre is located in the woods very close to Nickerson State Park on the old location of Camp Monomoy. The theatre is small but talent is always sure to please. This year’s schedule is noted below:

Anna Christie- May 2-June 2. Winner of the 1922 Pulitzer Prize, by Eugene O’Neill. This surprisingly contemporary play crackles with fierce physicality, humor and drama. The play’s trio of iconic characters- Anna, her seafaring father and the shipwrecked sailor she loves- are an explosive mix, each struggling in their own way for salvation.

9-Ball- June 20-July 13. Written by Art Devine. The year is 1967. Over a game of pool, two young men swap identities. One goes to prison , the other to war. Inspired by true events and pulsating with sights and sounds of the late 1960′s.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood- July 25- August 24. This big Broadway musical hit swept the Tony Awards in 1986. A hilarious murder mystery, the audience decides whodunit! Come and cheer on your favorite hero or villain- and create the perfect ending for this romp through Dickens famously unfinished novel.

Next to Normal- September 19- October 13. The Goodman Family appears to be a normal American family but what is really happening behind the white picket fence? Quoted as a brave and breath taking musical.

Can’t wait for summer to arrive.

White Cedar Swamp Trail on Cape Cod

We have been living on Cape Cod now for almost 10 years, and I am continually amazed how many new treasures we find each winter. We are innkeepers of two very busy inns in Brewster, the Captain Freeman Inn and Brewster by the Sea. Since our summers are  pretty busy, we always look forward to the winter months when we have time to explore new trails, sights and restaurants.

Today we visited the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail on the Cape Cod National Seashore. What a treasure!

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail

This mostly shaded loop explores one of the Cape’s few remaining stands of Atlantic white cedar, located on the former site of Camp Wellfleet, a U.S. Army base. Trailside markers identify many of the common plants, and you’ll probably get to see and hear some forest birds as well.

boardwalk through the swamp area

The swamp usually has standing water, so bring mosquito repellent in the summer months. The Marconi Station Site, located just across the parking area from the trailhead, is well worth a visit. When Morse-code messages between President Theodore Roosevelt and England’s King Edward VII were exchanged from here on January 18, 1903, the age of two-way wireless communication began.

As we were walking into the trail area we both commented at the wonderful combinations of smells and sounds. You could hear the waves crashing into the shoreline at Marconi beach close bye and you could also hear the birds chirping in the trees. The smells combined salt water with forest….a very unique and special combination.

 
On our way home we stopped at Sir Crickets for lunch. We have had several guests tell us what a wonderful little “dive” this is for lobster, lobster rolls and fried food. I ordered my favorite Lobster Roll and was not disappointed

Lobster roll at Sir Crickets

The lobster was very fresh and little mayonnaise to my liking. I only wish they had added some fresh lettuce which I will ask for next time. The restaurant is very small with 6 tables and an outside picnic table. They also do take out. We decided we would recommend that our guests place their order, visit the bird store next door and then take their food to a nearby beach. The gentleman next to us had  fish and chips and he seemed delighted and willing for me to take a picture. p.s. the french fries were also good
A perfect day on Cape Cod- having a nice long walk with my sweetie and a lobster roll for lunch:)

 




Summer events on Cape Cod

By Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

When guests ask us what special events are happening on Cape Cod in the summer months, I am always amazed and excited at the different options available. Everyone thinks about going to the beach in the summer, but there are plenty of cultural options available as well. Listed below are some of our favorites:

1. Through July 9th- The Centerville Historical Museum hosts Pinhole Photography of David Ellis, an exhibition featuring works from accomplished photographer who has worked with alternative capture methods. Since my husband has become a very good photographer for our Cape Cod Elopements at our two inns, Brewster by the Sea and the Captain Freeman Inn, we are really looking forward to seeing this exhibit. Ellis has lectured across the country and has had his work displayed in the Smithsonian. For more information- centervillehistoriccalmuseum.org

2. Through August  26th- The Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis is exhibiting The Tides of Provincetown: Pivotal Years in America’s Oldest Continuous Art Colony (1899-2011). This collection includes more than 100 works from the celebrated and influential artists who cemented Provincetown’s importance in America’s Art history. For more information- ccmoa.org

3. Through September 2nd- Yarmouthport has an informal display of art at the Yarmouth Art Guild Outdoor Shows. Returning artists and first timers alike put their best pieces on display all summer long on the front lawns of the Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank. For guidelines and schedule of events, visit yarmouthartguild.com.

4. Through September 3rd- Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich is presenting a wonderful exhibit called Norman Rockwell: Beyond the Easel, a major exhibition of works by the iconic illustrator including some of the antique cars that can be seen in his historic illustrations. Featuring more than 150 of his works, the exhibit is the first of it’s kind in the greater Boston area. For more information visit, heritagemuseumsandgarden.org. We also love to recommend to our guests that while in Sandwich they visit the Sandwich glass museum as well as the wonderful Dunbar Tea House for lunch or afternoon tea.

5.Through October 8- Learn about the lighthouses of Nantucket and the families that helped mariners navigate the island’s treacherous waters by exploring the Guiding Lights: Nantucket’s Lighthouses, Keepers and their Families, an exhibition at the Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum. The museum is open daily from 10-5. Visit nantucketshipwreck.org

6. June 29- The New Black Eagle Jazz Band, who have been bringing their traditional New Orleans jazz sound to fans the world over for over four decades, visit the Cultural Center of Cape Cod in South Yarmouth. The group’s performances include tunes by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and others. The concert begins at 8pm. For more information, visit cultural-center.org

7. June 27- August 22- Cape Cod musician Bart Weisman brings his seventh season of Summer Jazz to the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Weisman joins a revolving cast of musicians during this series of concerts, which takes place on Wednesday nights at 6pm. Visit paam.org

8. June 29-August 31- The Kate Gould Park on Main Street in Chatham hosts the Chatham Town Band Concerts which take place on Fridays at 8pm. For more information visit chathaminfo.com

Culture on Cape Cod

The Cape Cod Times was just quoted as saying” If you’re in the mood for some culture, you could hardly find a better place for one stop shopping than Cape Cod Center for the Arts just off 6A in Dennis Village”. We feel very fortunate as this wonderful old world playhouse and movie center is just a short drive from our two Cape Cod Bed and Breakfasts, Brewster by the Sea Inn and Spa and the Captain Freeman Inn.

Cape Cod Playhouse

The historic, beautifully landscaped compound includes Cape playhouse, the oldest continuously operating summer theatre, Cape Cod Museum of Art, which has been showcasing local artists for more than three decades and Cape Cinema that boasts a celestial mural by esteemed artist Rockwell Kent on the cinemas ceiling.

The summer calendar can be found at http://www.capeplayhouse.com where you can also reserve your seating. We like to sit on the lower level as the upper seats are placed on an angle and one feels like their seats will slide. Play titles and dates are noted below:

June 11-23   Hound the Baskervilles

But this is not your mother’s Sherlock Holmes!  Sparkling, fizzy and way over the top, this show comes at you like a freight train of laughs that carries everyone in its path along for a high speed ride into brilliant dialogue and terrific physical comedy.  It’s layered with literary, theatrical and everyday references that come at you so fast and furious that all that laughing can literally take your breath away. Come enjoy this “wonderful, whacky and witty evening of theatre”.

June 25-July 7 As Bees in Honey Drown

A young, hot, flavor-of-the-month novelist meets a fast talking socialite seething with the guise of wealth and glamour. He decides to play her and live the fast life with her paying the bills. Or is she playing him?  With today’s culture drenched with glamour-seekers andReality TV show celebrities, this Douglas Carter Beane comedy about the Takers,and the ones who are taken, is right on the money!

July 9-21 Ain’t misbehavin

This joint is jumping’! The Cotton Club, the Savoy Ballroom, honky tonk dives and the man who made it all swing—legendary piano man, Fats Waller.From “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Your Feets Too Big” to“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “T’aint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do,”get ready for a sexy, simmering, stompin’, struttin’, music and dance-filled evening that’s going to leave you breathless.Winner of every award a musical can win, including three Tonys.After this, there will be no “Keepin’ Out of Mischief” for anyone!

July 23- August 4 Legally Blond

Legally Blond, the musical  is award-winning Broadway musical sensation based on the hitmovie of the same name.  It follows college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods asshe puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School in pursuit ofher boyfriend Warner, who just dumped her for someone more serious.From the social whirl of California campus life to Harvard’s halls of justice, join our heroine Elle,her Chihuahua, Bruiser and the bull-dog-toting-hairdresser Paulette for this all singing,all dancing, feel-good musical comedy that’s so much fun it shouldn’t be legal!

August 6- 18 Kiss me Kate -

Cole Porter’s wit meets The Bard’s humor in one of American Theater’smost beloved Tony-Award winning musical comedies.Kiss Me Kate is the raucous and romantic backstage story of a touring group of actors.It’s “Too Darn Hot” in Baltimore where formerly married actors Fred and Lilliare cast opposite each other in a touring musical show.The sparks fly both onstage and off using a classic score which includes“So in Love,” “Another Opening, Another Show,” “From This Moment On,”and “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”It’s a classic battle-of-the-sexes, with music, dance and a whole lot of fun!

August 20 – September 1 Nun Sense

Be a part of the fun and see the Little Sisters of Hoboken display their divine talents in a zany benefit revue.In an effort to raise money for their fallen Sisters– victims of an unfortunate convent cooking accident –Mother Superior and her order of eccentric and endearing nuns show their lighter side.With riotous dance numbers, show-stopping songs and side-splitting wit,you’ll swear Nunsense was heaven-sent!

We can’t decide which one to go see as they all sound wonderful!

 

Chatham on Cape Cod

By Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

Chatham Light House

I have special childhood memories of Chatham as it was where I came every August with my best friend’s family. They always rented a large house and since there was 3 brothers and one sister, Cherrie and I always stuck together. We would spend hours on the beach, walking into town, playing tennis, sailing and going to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Monomoy Theater. My parents had a busy summer business and could never take summer vacations, so I always looked forward to those dog days of summer. 30+ years later, I love to remember those days with my friend.  What still amazes me is that every time we visit Chatham, it still feels and looks EXACTLY how I remember it as a young girl.

Chatham has a unique location in that the main road through Cape Cod, Highway 6, does not run through Chatham which gives the town it’s out of the way feel. Even so, the town does sustain important regional connections via public roadways; every day the bounty from it’s commercial fishing fleet is packed on ice and shipped throughout the Northeast. Any fish seller will tell you that the Chatham cod, off a day boat will fetch the best price around. Cod is still my favorite fish, and we usually buy if fresh once week from our favorite fish market, Nauset Fish and Lobster. Crowds gather to watch the boats come in at the fish pier.

A satellite map of Chatham lends another dimension to the town’s isolation. The kaleidoscope of swirling sandbars indicates that the pre-radar ships could not easily navigate these waters. It’s long, narrow spit and Monomoy Island were formed through the same processes as P’Towns- post glacier, constant movement of sand by the sea and wind.

Everyone loves to go the Chatham for shopping! Many upscale clothing and gallery shops adorn the quaint old walking village. Points of interest include the Altwood House Mueseum, Chatham Light and the Railroad Museum and my favorite, the Mononomy National Wildlife Refuge . The refuge is made up of Morris Island Road , North and South Monomoy islands lie off the south coast of Chatham, providing crucial habitat for nesting and migratory birds. There is no land access, so seals and birds dominate these sandy shores.

Our favorite places to dine in Chatham are the Impudent Oyster and Chatham Squire. The squire has more of a pubby atmosphere and the Impudent Oyster is more Fine Dining with lots of great seafood entries along with my favorite homemade bread.

We love to go to Chatham for day trips but always enjoy coming home to Brewster. We are on the quiet bay side of Cape Cod where there is much less traffic and crowds. All of our guests staying at our Brewster Bed and Breakfasts, Brewster by the Sea and Captain Freeman Inn tell us that they love to go and explore the wonderful parts of Cape Cod and after a busy day, love to come back to the inns for a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade and a fresh baked delight by the pool or on the beautiful porches or gazebo.

Captain Freeman Porch

History of Brewster on Cape Cod

I just picked up an old Cape Cod Almanac and really enjoyed reading different information about each of our lovely towns on Cape Cod. Since we have two wonderful Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast in Brewster, Captain Freeman Inn and Brewster by the Sea, I think it fitting that I begin my historical stroll through Cape Cod with Brewster.

A few interesting tidbits…..

During the height of maritime prosperity, Brewster was a Sea Captain’s town, touting a greater number of skippers per capita then anywhere else on the Cape. While their wealth sustained Brewster and their adventures are immortalized in local stories, the town was effectively run by it’s land-bound residents, it’s wives and daughters. We recently purchased the Captain Freeman Inn and have heard many stories already of mutiny at sea and many other sea adventures. The Freeman has a lovely Ladies Library (now being used as our son’s bedroom who is the innkeeper.) We have been told that many ladies gathered in this room to begin the process of building the Brewster Ladies library which is such a treasure here in Brewster.

The town itself was named for a man who was a seafarer by pilgrimage, not profession. William Brewster was a passenger on the Mayflower and became the Reverend Elder of Plymouth Colony. The town adopted his name after splitting with harwich in 1803.

Brewster’s contemporary residents perpetuate the legacy of the captain’s in museums, stories and celebrations which includes Brewster for the Holidays and Brewster in Bloom.

Brewster General Store

Each spring, residents await the annual herring run, when thousands of fish make their way up Paines’s creek to the millpond which is just behind Brewster by the Sea.

Tucked into the northern side of the Cape, Brewster faces the flats of Cape Cod Bay. When the tide is up swimming and waves are plentiful. When the big tide drops it’s a real treat to walk into the middle of the bay where you can see many of our oyster beds and sea life. These are the broadest, most beautiful flats on Cape Cod, a walker’s paradise that resurrects twice a day.