BAD MOON RISING

Hanging low over the harbor and the ships at anchor. Whether you are humans or animal, all feel the strange effects of the bad moon. 

PICTURES FROM THE PUMPKIN PATCH

We got up that morning and headed out in search of something interesting to photograph. I had no doubt we'd found something and I assumed, given our very beachy location on Cape Cod, that we'd come to a harbor, ships, ocean ... something watery.

Instead, we found the world's most amazing pumpkin patch ... a church-run enterprise where they grow thousands upon thousands of pumpkins, then sell them to raise money for the church. A very Cape Cod and New England variation on the old-fashioned bake sale.

We both took a lot of pictures. Garry and I, seeing the same scene from our individual perspectives. Always fun to go shooting with a pal and then compare what you've come up with.

SUNSET ON THE SHORE

ON THE BEACH - GARRY ARMSTRONG

I think I smell something ... food?

Let's GO!

I SEE you!

SUNSET - BARNSTABLE BEACH

STROLLING AROUND HYANNIS IN THE FALL - GARRY ARMSTRONG

Walking around town in Hyannis in October.

Local characters and tourists mingle. 

More traffic than we expected in what used to be off-season on Cape Cod. There does not seems to be an off-season any longer. And October, with the leaves changing and the weather beautiful, has become very much in season.

SUNSET ON BARNSTABLE BEACH

BOARDING

CALLING OF THE GRASS

RED, WHITE AND BLUE

The colors of the day in Hyannisport. 

Flags, boats and people, all in combinations of red, white and blue. 

The water and the sky were blue; the clouds were white.

Primary colors, like a world drawn with crayons. 

PERFECT WEATHER AT HOTEL HELL? OR PERFECT HOTEL WITH WEATHER FROM HELL?

I've been to beautiful places and done nothing but watch the rain pour down for a full week. Talk about depressing.

This time, it was a pretty bad hotel ... but the weather was ideal and we we able to get up and out and really enjoy at least that.

I suppose, in the end, brilliant weather trumps luxury. Mother nature rules. Especially if you are a fanatical photography enthusiast! Even more so if you are a couple and both of you are enthusiasts.

GOING HOME

Not sorry to leave this place, but sorry to be leaving Cape Cod. Nice, though, that it's close enough to come anytime on a day trip. Sometimes we forget it's just a little more than an hour away ... with no traffic. And it's good to be "not at home" no matter where else it is. A change of scenery is good for the soul.

I'm always afraid what I'll find when I get home. A thousand pounds of junk mail, hysterical dogs, half a foot of matted dog hair, urgent messages on the answering machine, scary messages on the answering machine. What will be will be. I just hope that nothing awful is waiting for me. Please, let there not be something awful.

PUMPKIN PATCH IN YARMOUTH

We went exploring, not knowing where we would wind up. Never has this failed me. There always something and today was no exception.

Driving along Route 28 through South Yarmouth was the biggest, most luscious pumpkin patch I've ever seen. I've seen a few. This was the best yet.

The pumpkin patch belongs to the church. They grow pumpkins then sell them in October to raise money for the church. An interesting variation on the classic bake sale. They have one of those, too. Next week.

Charlie Brown would definitely approve.

HINTING AT BLUE, HANGING ON HOPE

I am blue this morning. More accurately, this afternoon. The hands of the clock have crept along past the noon hour into the afternoon. The heavy machinery which is rebuilding the parking lot have temporarily ground to a halt so the guys can eat their lunch. I rarely envy Garry his hearing problems, but on days like this when noise makes sleep impossible (do they really have to start at 6 AM?), it doesn't seem so bad.

Lots of little things are nagging at me. Like termites gnawing the edges of my brain. I'm in a place where I can  - with effort - kick myself until I stop moping. But it takes effort. Why am I blue? I'm sure this miserable excuse for a resort is part of it. Especially not having a comfortable bed. I can forgive a lot if the bed is good.

Then there's the realization this is the only vacation we'll get this year. It could have been worse. It could have been a fantastic resort, but rained all week. Or one of us could have come down with flu. Both have happened and you don't even get to blame the Front Desk. And it also could have been a lot better. I would have welcomed a little pampering. It's been a rough decade and then some.

There's always a let down at the end of a vacation - any vacation - when you know you have to go home to face whatever crap you left behind. It's waiting. In our case, there's a lot of stuff waiting and it has fangs and claws.

Still, it isn't worse than it was. Nothing got worse while we were away - or so I fondly believe. I've been taking care of business. I don't want to jinx myself, but the issues are dire enough it doesn't seem likely to get much worse, short of me up and dying. That would affect me less than those around me - a scenario we would all rather avoid. I don't have life insurance, so keeping me alive is a better deal for all concerned, though I sometimes wonder about me. I wish I believed in heaven. Something to look forward to.

I should buy lottery tickets. Someone has to win, right? I need hope.

I'm looking for a silver lining. I always look for one or two up there in the sky, but in my experience, clouds are lined with rain or snow, not silver. They're just clouds. Puffy vapor floating around in the blue yonder. They do not come bearing news, good or ill. Nor does good news come disguised as bad. Good stuff announces itself with trumpets, bells and brass bands. Bad news? Never any danger of missing it, No, uh uh. You can always tell when a piano falls on your head. Assuming you retain consciousness long enough to look up and say "Where did THAT come from?"

Today is half way between depression and blah. I'm not totally dispirited, but I'm not exactly jumping with joy. Maybe that's as good as I should expect these days. Lacking imminent threat of demise, foreclosure or other life catastrophe, 'tis enough. t'will serve. Thank you Will Shaxper.

GARRY ARMSTRONG'S CAPE COD

I take pretty pictures. Garry makes art. 

A lifetime of John Ford movies have had their effect. 

His eye seeks out pictures that are more than pictures, that are evocative and elegant. 

Many are perfect right off the SD chip. 

Please, look, enjoy, and make your own evaluation.