January on the Cape

I woke at 7am to the lightest dusting of snow. Yesterday, after a futile attempt to organize my new studio, I headed to Depot beach for a walk before the last light of day. There were no boats on the water as the sun set in an exquisite blaze. The only person I saw was one other woman photographing the night sky; the setting sun and the rising moon. The tide was so low I could walk around the jetties instead of climbing over them. It is so fun walking through the water in my clamming boots. A 3/4 moon rose in the sky that blazed purple and blue and I was grateful for the wisdom to leave the mess and commune with the ducks and the seagulls. Jamie was happy as well. The winter blues have a way of setting in this time of year... my plan is, take to the beach!

Happy Birthday Anne

Calm start Stormy end Same day

For years I have been collecting treasures on my many beach walks. Everyone in my family has been on board; helping me find and even haul big pieces of driftwood to paint on. Come to our house and you will find exquisite beach glass, stones, wampum, shells and driftwood on every windowsill, shelf, and container of any kind. It has even been ever so gently suggested that maybe I have enough shells. To that I say NEVER!!!!! So the question became, what can I do to make a little cash from these treasures? I had the idea to make wreaths to sell for holiday gifts as well as scallop ornaments. I enlisted my friend Anne Brown and for a week we set up camp above her garage and had a blast burning our fingers with the hot glue guns. We shared a table with Taylor Brown of Fisherman's Daughter at The Hook Fisherman's House on 28. The Garden Club hosted their Holiday Fair and famous tree auction there . Sadly, due to sewer construction and poor advertising the event was not well attended and sales were anything but brisk. The good news is Anne and I had a great time and we still have a few wreaths left. There are others on my Robins Nest Art Studio Facebook page which my son Alex set up for me until I figure out a website. Feel free to email me with any questions about prices . My email is robin.litwin@comcast.net A portion of the proceeds will go to the Chatham / Harwich Food Pantry.

Lost and Found

Life is like Nature

These past few months I have been blessed with the pleasure of nature in my everyday life. I am beginning to understand how profoundly our lives align with the natural world. Some days are dark, turbulent and stormy. Some days are like yesterday when the sun set in a blaze of pinks, oranges, yellows, magentas and colors that cannot be named. The sunsets have been so spectacular lately we have been racing to the beach by 3:30 to get the last walk of the day in.

As Pete and I walked Hardings Beach he said, " There is something so surreal about watching the sunset over the water, it's like nothing else." The night before we walked a stormy, dark beach; the wind stinging our faces and a sunset that was not worth mentioning.

Life is like that. Somedays you are so happy; with a happiness that keeps coming like a long sunset. Other days are dark and stormy and the sunset wasn't worth watching. Keep your broken heart open on those stormy days and keep your beating heart beating on the days when the sunset just keeps getting better and better and you are lucky enough to witness it.

A New Life..... The Beat Goes on

It was a spectacular October morning. The sun poured through my window like golden honey. By 8am I was on the beach with Jamie walking from Cow Yard to the fish pier where I spent time chatting with my friend Howie. He was heading out in his catboat hoping to see whales. I learned from his brother in law that a catboat is defined by it's " approximate " measurement of 1/2 as wide as it is long. I was amazed at how big the boat looked from my high vantage point up on the pier.

My Aunt Nannie loved catboats. My grandparents had a spectacular sailboat named " The Riptide." I've never been much of a sailer myself but I never tire of watching them, be it resting quietly on their mooring or sailing elegantly on the ocean.

Later, as I was riding my bike down Shore Road I saw them sailing on the southern tip of North Beach Island. It took my breath away!