Happy Halloween!!!

As I mentioned yesterday, one of the reasons I’m excited to be back in the States at this time of year is to enjoy fall weather. I missed it entirely last year and I just want to see one tree full of red and yellow leaves! Well, I got that and more this past weekend on Cape Cod.

On weekend mornings, my parents meet up with my aunt and uncle to walk their dogs along the beach. It’s so tranquil at this hour. Normally I sleep right through these walks but my confused body is jet-legged enough that it doesn’t protest when I roll out of bed to join them on the beach.

Here are some gratuitous photos of my parents’ adorable dog, Bijou. She is the sweetest thing.

My aunt and uncle’s sweet pup Maggie uses this stroller, which Bijou is all too happy to climb into after the first few laps along the beach. Maggie looks a little crowded.

The plan for today is to hop in the car and meander to various lakes and parks in search of foliage. We don’t have a set itinerary but my parents are quite familiar with this part of the Cape and (lucky me!) they like playing tour guide.

Viewpoint near Harwichport:

We stroll through Barnstable Village and this adorable “library” catches my eye. What a sweet idea:

Quintessential Main Street, Cape Cod at Barnstable Village.

And even though I’ve already had coffee this morning, I get a second cup at Nirvana because just look at this place.

A nearby house all decked out for Halloween:

Our next stop: Sandy Neck beach. We stroll along the boardwalk.

Another pretty fall vantage point in Barnstable:

We spend an hour walking around Sandwich, another cute Cape town with shops and churches and foliage.

I’ve never seen berries this shade of magenta before:

That night we enjoy homemade pizza at my aunt and uncle’s house. Delicious.

My dad’s birthday was the week before so we celebrate belatedly:

On Sunday, we hop into the car for one last foliage drive towards Brewster and Orleans. First we stop at Walker Pond, where my dad and I went kayaking about five months ago:

There’s a historic mill nearby in Stony Brook with a charming stream and greenery.

Fish climb up these “ladders” to spawn in the spring. We see thousands of tiny little fish, all babies at this time of year.

There’s a museum at this historic mill, but it’s closed today. I admire the window dressing:

Our next stop is Eagle Point at the Punkhorn Parklands, a great woodsy area with lots of colorful leaves.

Me and my parents, the best tour guides on Cape Cod:

We stop briefly at the Brewster General Store which is off-the-charts quintessential New England.

I take dozens of photos at the Brewster General Store — they have two levels of displays and items to peruse, from common groceries to penny candy to Cape Cod souvenirs to cross-stitching supplies.

Next stop: the beach. But it’s really windy (see kite surfer two photos down) so we snap a few photos and leave.

Our last stop for the day is Kent’s Point in Orleans. This area used to be privately owned by a woman who turned it over to the state upon her death with instructions that it be made into a park for public use. It’s a special piece of land with impressive lake views.

Around sunset we stop by my aunt and uncle’s house to say good-bye and a blazing rainbow reveals itself.

I’ll be working in New York this next month so it’ll be nearly Christmas by the time I get back to Cape Cod. It’s easy to appreciate this place in any season and I’m grateful to have gotten a flavor of fall.