Sweet Cape Cod in September...

This past week I made a quick day trip to beautiful Cape Cod to help a relative run some errands, and the weather could not have been more gorgeous!

I don't think I have ever seen hydrangeas as beautiful as the ones I see on the Cape!

Having arriveded on Cape a bit before my aunt expected me, I thought a trip to the beach might be a good idea...

How right I was!

The beaches that were packed just weeks before...

...were virtually empty now that the kids are back at school.

There were a few people here and there... Some relaxed, read books, and enjoyed the view...

... while others flew kites. I'm so glad I had a bit of time to visit the ocean. There is nothing like it to refresh the soul.

And then it was time to head to my aunt's... Look at the cute bunny that greets visitors to her front door.

She lives in a beautiful home...

...and I always love coming to the Cape to visit her.

There's someone else I love coming to visit...

Is this not the cutest face ever?


Yes, indeed. I think it is!

The house inside is so warm and inviting... An eclectic mix of colonial, traditional, and contemporary... The fireplace off the kitchen is the perfect place to relax with a cup of hot tea on a chilly day...

And the sunroom is the perfect place to relax when you want to take in the views outside...

The living room is always so cheerful and flooded with natural light...

The diamond pane windows were the inspiration for the windows we put into our family room addition 21 years ago.


Then it was off to run errands... I snapped a few photos while we were out and about... We stopped by this marina and I just loved the flag rippling in the breeze...

...and we made a quick detour off of Rte. 6A so I could snap a photo of the Edward Gorey House (which is a FUN place to visit, although we didn't have time today!).

And finally, with all of our errands completed, we headed to The Marshside restaurant in Dennis for supper.

If you are ever in the area, be sure to stop in.

The gardens surrounding the restaurant are gorgeous...

...and the marsh views are stunning. And can you believe I forgot to take photos of our food? You'll have to trust me... My baked scallops were to die for and my aunt loved her lobster mac & cheese (which had HUGE chunks of lobster meat!)...

I left the Cape right at sunset. I think the Cape must be one of the most beautiful places on earth! I hope you enjoyed coming along with me!

We are on a roll of fantastic weather! I hope you are all enjoying September!

Donna

Day Tripping in Rockport, MA...

Get ready to fall in love....


...with the beautiful seaside town of Rockport, Massachusetts.


If you've ever seen (the movies) The Proposal (2009) or The Love Letter (1999), then you've probably caught glimpses of this quaint New England seaside village.


To say it's a charming place to spend an afternoon is an understatement.


We try to visit Rockport every summer (this photo of the girls is from June 2006)... We rarely go on vacations, but this summer we hadn't even squeezed in a day trip due to conflicting schedules or bad weather. But with the girls both about to leave home in a couple of weeks, we made this past Wednesday our "head to Rockport no matter what the weather" day!

So come on along with me and I'll show you around Rockport...


Many of the waterfront shops, galleries and restaurants are along Bear Skin Neck, and this sign gives a little background as to how it got its name.


One of the prettiest shops in the area, The Pewter Shop, even has a sign depicting the ill-fated bear...
When visiting Rockport you'll see:

Brightly painted doors and trim


Sometimes it looks as though the paint was applied that very morning, the colors are so vivid and bright....





But even those whose trim has succumbed to the heat & humidity of the New England summers and the brutal cold of New England's winters, are quaint and nothing-short-of-charming...






Everywhere you look there are flowers in window boxes....









White picket fences, in a variety of shapes and sizes, add cottage charm to shops and homes:







There are gardens galore, an absolute feast for the eyes:







Are you a dog lover? Rockport loves dogs, and dogs love Rockport...

You'll find dogs who are plain tuckered out and just want to nap....

... and dogs who are ready for an adventure....

... like Zac and his lovely friend (who graciously allowed me to snap their photos).

Rockport is a place for people watching....

...for flower inspiration....

...and for gallery and shop-hopping...

Take a closer look at what's peering out of the second story windows of the Country Store... (click photo to enlarge if you want a closer look! I still say one is a real boy although Amanda says no!)

And when you get tired of walking and your tummy starts to rumble, there are plenty of places to relax and grab a bite to eat.

We thought this place looked cute - the 7th Wave, where you had the option of eating inside or roof top. Since we lucked out on weather (in the 70's, overcast, but no rain in sight), we opted for the roof. After placing our order, we decided to take a few photos until our food arrived...

Roof Top Dining Views:

The kayak rental shop below...

...where you can rent a kayak in any color of the rainbow.

Several of the shops and galleries leading to the waterfront...

The view over the rooftops... I love the seagull on top of the chimney. (My offbeat photo of the fishing shack, Motif No. 1!)

What's that I spy down there with all the lovely flower boxes, right next to the silversmith? Why it's a bakery & candy shop. Okay, we'll definitely be stopping there after lunch! I may have to fiddle around with my WW points for the rest of the week, but it will be worth it!

Smile, girls! Oops... looks like I only got your silhouettes, but the scenery behind you is gorgeous!

Here's Court, showing me how to get a good photo (by holding out her camera and clicking a photo of the 3 of us... I should just have Amanda & Court take my blog photos - they do a much better job than me!) Mmmm, I think I smell our food!

A pineapple burger and onion rings for Court...

A grilled cheese and fries for Amanda...

...and - be still my heart - a lobster roll with broccoli for me! I haven't had a lobster roll in years and years (and when we got the bill, I remembered why!).

The meals were delicious... So now it was time to stop at that cute little bakery/candy store and buy....

Elephant ears!!! We got 3 of them so we could take some home to hubby... These were SO good... Oh my gosh, I'm not sure if there will be a loss at Monday's weigh in!

So I hope you enjoyed this little tour of Rockport. I highly recommend you pay a visit if you're ever in the area!!!

And if you really want a treat, please visit Cafe Chatelaine's gorgeous blog, as she has also posted about Rockport (and you will totally drool over her photos!) Just click here and here to see her inspiring photos and read her posts...

Donna