May Getaway

 I spent a few days in the garden planting, admiring, and planning new flower displays. I have four different azaleas and they are blooming well.

My favorite. I transplanted it last year into a better location and it's doing much better now.

A very showy flower.

These white blooms are another favorite - I have planted several of these.

These came with the house so I had no say in the matter, but they are reliable!

The weather took a turn as a few stormy systems passed through bringing high winds, rain, and just unsettled weather. I could mostly work through it as I alternated indoor and outdoor work in concert with the storms.

The clouds have been pretty dramatic, from puffy, white, towering cumulous...

...to lowering banks of roiling clouds.

This combination of  low, dark rain clouds overhead with sun streaming in from behind was surreal.

The flowers seem pretty happy with the combination of sun and rain.

On Sunday I packed up and headed to Cape Cod for a few days of fun and relaxation. I met Sue Ellen and Ann Marie at the Shining Sea Bike Trail in North Falmouth at noon on Sunday. We rode 22 miles of the trail in very nice weather down to Woods Hole and back. Then we headed to Brewster and arrived at our rental house. I stayed in the same house last year and it was just as nice this year too. A hundred yards from the beach, and a walking trail, and another bike trail means it's location is perfect. 

On the Shining Sea Trail.

Monday we headed to the Cape Cod National Sea Shore and spent the afternoon riding the trails among the dunes, ponds, and beaches. It was one of the nicest trails I've ever ridden and we really worked hard due to lots of hills. Afterwards we went into Provincetown and had some lobster!

At the National Sea Shore trail.

🎶 On the dunes of the Cape! 🎶  kept playing in my mind.

Bikers on the beach, me and Ann Marie.



Apres biking cocktails.


The beach near the rental home.


Tuesday the weather got colder and a bit windy so we biked the Cape Cod Rail Trail which was right near our rental. It ran through forests to protect us from the wind, but temperature was about 50 degrees so we stopped for hot drinks and dessert at a cafe to warm up. We rode 20 miles and got a little wet as the rain started as we were finishing our ride. We got more lobster take out for dinner and played Uno at the house. Sue Ellen brought out the Devil's Lettuce (pot) so I got high for the first time in a good long while. Why not, I figured. 

Wednesday was travel day and so we all set off for home. I stopped at the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in Deerfield, MA and got my fill of Lepidoptera. It was fun, and took a bit of time to capture them in a photo, but the best part was just sitting on a bench and watching the hundreds of butterflies fluttering about.

I didn't bother to learn the names, just enjoyed the colors.



Some were very cooperative and sat still for photos.

The Blue Morpho butterflies were not cooperating at all, so this unknown variety
was the only blue one that I captured.

It was a lovely way to spend an hour and motivate me to get my garden to be a butterfly haven.


Comments

  1. MargaretMay 23, 2025 at 12:36 AM

    Plants do love the mix of sun and rain although it makes outside work a little iffy. How fun to do the bike rides and spend the time with friends. I need a get away soon!

    ReplyDelete

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