March and the Peanut Butter Lover’s Day

So we all took the giant ‘LEAP’ and landed safely (hopefully) in March. That’s right it’s March 1^st the somewhat sleepy month that serves to lead us from winter to spring, with little fanfare but tiny signs of new life popping up all over.  For some of Christian faith, March signifies Lent and is a recognition of sacrifice and renewal, while for others it might usher in another birthday celebration or family vacation; but did you know the month of March actually comes with some interesting history?

• The word ‘March’ comes from the Roman ‘Martius’. This was originally the first month of the Roman calendar and was named after Mars, the god of war.
• March used to be the beginning of our calendar year. We changed to the ‘New Style’ or ‘Gregorian’ calendar in 1752, and it is only since then the year began on 1st January.
• The Anglo-Saxons called the month Hlyd monath which means Stormy month, or Hraed monath which means Rugged month.
• On March 3rd – Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone was born in 1847
• On March 15th – This date was the ‘Ides of March’ in the Roman calendar. This meant it was the day on which the month was divided into two equal parts. Julius Caesar was murdered on this date in 44 BC.
• On March 29th – Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886.            (Courtesy of Facts about March) (more…)

Collections Gallery

There is something exceptional about handmade items created by local artisans. Something handmade comes with that inimitable seal of extra thought, touch, care and passion imbued into it by the artists themselves.  We hear a lot about shopping local in order to support our community businesses; well how about shopping local for items that are actually made right here on Cape Cod as well!

Collections Gallery is a combination boutique shop and gallery located on Jarves Street right in the historic village of Sandwich. They have been in business for 20 years having resided for their first 17 years in a shop on Route 6A in East Sandwich. An interesting nuance about this shop is that it’s an artist’s cooperative, comprised of 14 members. Each talented member sells and displays their own work in the shop and as part of the membership in the co-op, they must also each work in and contribute to the smooth running of the business. They also do have some consigning artists as well. The artists create and sell a vast variety of handmade pieces including: jewelry; paintings; pottery; quilts; hand-sewn and collage, and other fine art items.

This year the Gallery is also doing something special to help benefit the Sandwich Food Pantry. They have been working on creating 1,000 origami paper cranes and will be selling them all winter, with a generous portion of the proceeds going to the food pantry. There is a Japanese legend that reads if anyone folds 1,000 cranes, they will be granted a wish by a crane.  In Japan the Crane is revered as one of many mystical and holy creatures said to live for a thousand years.  The Gallery members decided to continue making the cranes in the good spirit which they embody and support a terrific local cause. The shop also had entered  and won second place in, the Town’s annual holiday window decorating contest, which as you can see was adorned with the beautiful handmade cranes!

Come and view their unique collection of handmade art. Collections Gallery is located at 23A Jarves Street in Sandwich. Winter hours are: 11-4 Sunday through Friday and 10-5 Saturday. They will be closing on Tuesdays during the month of March. Then in April they will go back to their full time hours of 10-5 daily. They can be reached directly at 508.833.0039.

Cape Cod Happening: This Weekend 12/09-12/11

Welcome to another weekend on the cape, offering no shortage of happening events to enjoy. It seems to be an all-arts weekend around here, with live music, theater and fine arts exhibits offering a  little something for everyone! We wanted to share a few of our favorite picks.

Friday and Saturday December 9 and 10 at a 6:30 pm dinner theatre, you can catch Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, presented by the Elements Theatre Co, and enjoy a traditional English Banquet, caroling, and live music of London in 1843. There is also a  3:30pm matinee on Sunday December 11. Paraclete House, RockHarbor, Orleans. 508-240-2400.

Out Late with Diana Di Gioia, a live music event at the Cape Cod Chat House 593 Route 6A, Dennis, MA 02638 at 7:30 pm on Friday December 9. Out Late provides a mix of  rock and blues to folk and acoustic. This event is FREE. (more…)

Cape Cod Happening This Weekend 11/18-11/20

Another weekend is here … wow do those weeks fly by! So much to choose from this weekend around the Cape, including some festive holiday happenings; yes the Season is upon us! The weekend weather is supposed to be nice so let’s get out and enjoy! Here are just a few of our favorite picks for this weekend.

On Friday the 18^th there are a few holiday happenings going on. The John Wesley United Methodist Church in Falmouth is holding their annual Holiday Fair from 3pm-8pm with local crafts; wreaths and other holiday greenery and baked goods. This will also run on Saturday the 19^th from 8:30am-2:00pm. Country Garden in Hyannis is holding their Holiday Open House on the 18^th (today) from 5pm-8pm. Lots of holiday craft making and other fun and family friendly events! (more…)

Frankenstein Friday

Another fun Friday fact: did you know that the last Friday of every October is considered Frankenstein Friday? This may not be the most important fact of which one needs to be most aware, I say with a grin, yet isn’t this what Friday’s are for, some light frivolity? And it is after all … Halloween!

Frankenstein was ‘born’ January 1, 1818 when Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote the novel. The novel and the character of the monster Frankenstein, has remained a classic even influencing popular culture for over 100 years. The movie was regarded as one of the greatest of all time having garnered recognition from the American Film Institute, being named the 87th greatest movie of all time on 100 Years… 100 Movies.  The point of Frankenstein Friday as I understand it, is to honor the monster by either reading the novel or watching the movie. I find that books in most cases tend to be better than the book-turned-movie, yet in this case I think the visual is almost a necessity. (more…)

It’s National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day!

A little fun fact … did you know that today, October 21, is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day? A celebration of a delicious fall dessert! With Halloween right around the corner it makes sense to highlight the pumpkin, which as we know is not only fun to carve but is a healthy food as well.

In honor of National Pumpkin Cheesecake day here are some interesting facts about the amazing pumpkin:

Pumpkins are rich in Potassium and Vitamin A and high in fiber
They were once recommended as a cure for freckles
They were used as a remedy for snake bites
Eating the seeds helps to avoid Prostate cancer in men

Pumpkins are beautiful when first picked and untouched, and even more visually intriguing when really creative people turn theirs into a work of carved art. (more…)

Wellfleet Oysters and More

What a day we had this past Saturday at the Wellfleet Oyster Festival, a great place to spend an afternoon with friends and family; especially on a day as gorgeous as this one was! This annual event and Cape Cod tradition held in ‘downtown’ Wellfleet, offered a tantalizing menu for all of the senses: food; music; shopping; people watching and exciting educational events.

This was the 11^th annual festival celebrating Wellfleet’s famous oysters and its deep rooted shell fishing traditions. SPAT Shellfish Promotion and Tasting, a non profit organization devoted to nurturing a better understanding of the town’s shell fishing traditions, along with a multitude of volunteers works hard to present this event each year…and what a success! In keeping with the important focus on recycling here on the Cape, the festival is always very conscientious about collecting all shells:  oysters, clams, etc and returning them to the bay in order to keep the oyster reefs thriving. There were special recycling buckets placed all around the festival grounds to encourage everyone to do their part. (more…)

Halloween Happenings

The wind is howling and the crisp air smells like fall, the familiar mix of leaves and distant fires burning. The evening sky takes on a mildly eerie dusk-hue, and carved pumpkins line neighborhood front lawns. Halloween is almost here bringing with it plenty of ‘haunted happenings’ cape-wide! Who doesn’t love a good fright to get the adrenaline pumping? There are all sorts of spooky goings-on from Falmouth to Provincetown; a few for adults but the majority are family oriented for all ages. Pull out your costumes and celebrate Halloween Cape Cod style! Happy Halloween…BOO! (more…)

Rediscovering the Public Library

Remember the days when hanging out in the public library after school or on weekends was the thing to do? Finding a corner to call ‘home’ for those few hours, traveling the peaceful aisles savoring the sights of all the wonderful stories that were being told. When is the last time you remember spending time in a public library?

Cape Cod has some terrific public libraries that not only retain that wonderful spirit from years past, but also have a history deeply rooted in their community. The buildings are often an architectural find as well! A library is more than just a place to borrow a favorite book or find a reference for a paper or article that is being written, it can also offer a place for people to come together and share in storytelling or learning.  The beauty of a library is that the books are free. Electronic book readers are a fantastic idea, yet buying an e-reader is not always an option for everyone…reading a good book should be though. (more…)