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Winter
Sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud;
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold:
So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.
-Shakespeare
 Until
recently, the 'off-season' was not considered the best time for
tourists to visit the Cape. And for many residents, winter was something
to ride out. Even I have felt like a hibernating bear at times.
It is easy to curse days that grow dark by the middle of the afternoon,
with gray, drizzling skies, and a damp cold that permeates your
bones regardless of your efforts to bundle up. There are days when
the temperature drops below freezing, causing the rain that fell
the previous day to turn into a dangerous sheet of ice. The ever
present wind on the Cape sweeps in off the water with a vengeance,
cutting through your skin and forcing you to bow your head in submission
as you walk. Even restaurants and pubs close down, giving you another
excuse to stay indoors.
But this is only one side of winter on
the Cape. For those who prefer solitude and quiet, this time of
year is a welcome change from summerís hustle and bustle. Visitors
can walk miles of beach without seeing a soul. This is the perfect
opportunity for personal reflection, for catching up on your reading,
or for just escaping your busy 9 to 5 world. For residents, it's
a great time to finish whatever projects that were held over from
the previous winter. Sewing, carving, tending to fishing equipment,
taking classes - Cape residents are never at rest for very long.
For me, winter's draw is photography. Though
the days may be short and the skies may brood with threatening clouds,
the soft, quiet light of winter seems to envelop me. Dunes and grasses
may glow even on overcast days, and the sea looks almost mercurial
in appearance. Even these gray days of winter can provide images
that communicate the sense of place that belongs solely to Cape
Cod. It is the changing mood and light that I have tried to convey
here in my photographs. For those who are open to her charms, the
Cape has many secrets to share.
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