Serendipity

The keyword for today is serendipity (noun – an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident).  I’ve had both serendipity and misfortune today, and one misfortune led me to the best serendipitous discovery of the day – go figure.

It was kind-of cold on Cape Cod today, and there was a stiff breeze that generated a wind-chill factor.  But the sun was sparkling, so what to do?  I hung out for a bit after breakfast and then made a plan – a little craft shopping, a quick morning walk on Paine’s Beach, then up to Pleasant Bay (this time on purpose) for lunch, then find a new beach to walk, then back to Brewster for some reading before dinner.  Good plan, but who knew how it would turn out?

First of all, I decided to check out one of my favorite craft stores.  I found something I would have liked, but it wasn’t really worth the price.  Misfortune.  Then a walk on Paine’s Beach, which was windy as expected (but nice anyway), and high tide, but I got some great pictures.  I found a nice flat stone with markings that remind me of the dunes on the ocean side of the Cape.  Serendipity there.

  
Windy day at Paine’s Creek Beach.

I had the misfortune to get totally lost going up to the Wequassett Inn for lunch, but that turned out to be serendipitous because I finally figured out why I keep getting lost in that neck of the woods.  (Short story – bad signage at a couple of crucial turns.)  I went up to the Outer Bar and Grille, which is the less expensive choice for meals at the very ritzy Wequassett Inn and Resort.  I love it because it’s right on the water, and I knew I could have a lovely salad of mixed greens, pears, bacon, tomatoes, chopped chicken, and a raspberry vinaigrette.  The porch is open, but they pulled down the clear screens because the wind was really ripping – the plastic on the screens kept snapping and banging like sails in a gale.   But no matter, I was snug inside.  It was an expensive lunch, but worth it for the view. 

  The view from my lunch table at the Outer Bar and Grille.

Another view of Pleasant Bay.    

Next up, find a beach!  I really wanted to go back up to Marconi, but with the wind that strong, I knew it wouldn’t be that pleasant.  So I trekked down to Chatham to check out some of the beaches on Nantucket Sound.  I found a small town landing, but it looked like a private beach so I journeyed on.  (I didn’t mind – got in some great gawking at the beach properties!)  After a few wrong turnings, I found Hardings Beach.  There, the wind was blowing SO HARD, I had to lean into the wind to stand up!  It’s a really small beach, and it was high tide, and it was nasty windy.  I walked just a little so that I could say I did. (I found a shell instead of a rock, because there were lots of shells and no rocks, plus, it doesn’t really count as a walk).  As I was leaving, the surfer dudes were showing up, so I was glad to turn the beach over to them.  Misfortune, but momentarily amusing anyway.

   Almost blown away by the view at Hardings Beach.

Okay, I thought, so it’s not going to be a beach day.  I decided to head up to Harwich to pick up my credit card, which I had left at Bucca’s last night.  That counts as misfortune (although it was good that they kept it for me!).  Afterwards, since I’d already driven the straight path leading back to Brewster several times over the last several days, I decided to test out a more circuitous route back.  SERENDIPITY!  My new route took me past the rail trail that borders Long Pond and Seymour Pond on the Brewster/Harwich border.  I’d never seen the “ponds” – they’re more like lakes than ponds.  And my luck held when I found a place to park nearby.  I stepped into my walking shoes, put on my Ipod (cranking Sandi Patty’s “Falling Forward”), and I was off. 

FABULOUS WALK!  Walking a trail along the water is more invigorating than walking the beach (at least for me) because I can pick up the pace a bit.  On the small beach at Seymour Pond, I picked up a stone that looks a little like petrified wood.  It was beautiful – windy coming past Seymour Pond, but gorgeous along Long Pond.  Spring!  The birds were chirpping, the trees were blooming, and Sandi Patti was singing the glory of God.  The pictures say it all.

      
Sun and clouds (and wind!) on Seymour Pond.

   Rail trail by Long Pond.

Seen along the trail at Long Pond:
        
     

I then headed back to my room, and worked a little on this post before heading out for dinner.  I left a little late, but managed to get back to Paine’s Beach in time to see the most gorgeous sunset yet.  It was SO WINDY at the beach, I was FREEZING while I was in awe and snapping pictures like crazy.  No walk tonight, which is a misfortune, but still…

I’m so glad I found this place.  Serendipity.