Many incidents surprised me while my wife Sandy and I vacationed last month on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. But only three of them pleaded with me to write about them. I’m a softie, so I couldn’t say no. Away we go!
Surprise #1:
Cyberspace is glutted beyond belief with photos of sunsets. Is there room for more? Damn straight! And there always will be. The gods overseeing the internet have seen to that. I took this article’s sunset photo in Truro, a rural section of Cape Cod. Sandy and I were strolling along Corn Hill Beach, which borders Cape Cod Bay, as light was fading from the skies. Sunset aficionados, we were there mainly to view the big event. As gorgeous as the beach and the overall setting were, though, I was a bit disappointed, because the sunset’s opening stages weren’t even so-so. Masses of grey clouds were making it impossible for anything impressive to be displayed.
Or so I thought! Man, all of a sudden, as the Sun hit the horizon, the less-dense clouds in the western sky became electrified, exploding in brilliant orange hues. The bay waters joined in on the orange-heavy festivities. Sandy and I could hardly believe our eyes. Damn well awestruck, we agreed we’d never seen a sunset develop as this one had. Life’s a mystery, is it not? You never know what might occur. That early evening, we were in the right place at the right time.
Surprise #2:
Later that week we spent a few hours in Provincetown village, at the tippy tip of Cape Cod. It’s a charming, funky old town, a home to the arts, and once was a major commercial-fishing center. Some amount of commercial fishing still goes on there, but Ptown, for decades, has been better known for its large LGBTQ community than for anything else.
During the visit we examined the artworks in a bunch of galleries on Commercial Street, popped into a couple of other stores, and then had dinner at Ciro & Sal’s, a terrific Italian restaurant. Ten seconds after exiting the eatery, Sandy and I unexpectedly were brought to a halt by a powerful, palpable presence. We looked up . . . and there it was: the Moon, big and bright, flirting with nearby clouds and casting a spell on darkened Commercial Street.
As with the Corn Hill Beach sunset, I was amazed by what I saw. I hadn’t paid much attention to the Moon in a long time. Nor to the stars or any other objects in the night sky, for that matter. And it’s not as if I’m rarely outside at night. But once in a while the beauty of the blackened heavens makes itself apparent to me. I saluted the Moon. Then I took its portrait. The photo is one of my favorites of the pix I snapped on Cape Cod.
And now for the third surprise:
In my younger days I puffed away somewhat regularly on marijuana and hashish. The highs they induced often were exemplary. But I gave up the habit in the 1980s, after about 15 years of indulgence, out of concern for my lungs.
However, for some years I’ve been wondering if I should give cannabis a try once again. In Pennsylvania, though, where I reside, you can’t purchase for-recreational-use cannabis legally.
But . . . during the Cape Cod trip I had a casual conversation with a guy working in a theater where Sandy and I were about to see a play. Our talk turned to marijuana, and he told me cannabis is sold legally, in a variety of forms, by authorized stores in Massachusetts. “You mean, anybody can go into one of those places and buy it?” I asked. He answered in the affirmative.
Say what? How was it possible I hadn’t known about this? Well, a week later Sandy and I made a trip to The Piping Plover, the Cape Cod cannabis shop that the theater worker had told me is his favorite. There, after discussing my high-times history with the lady behind the counter, and telling her I wasn’t interested in inhaling smoke these days, I purchased the product she recommended: Camino cannabis-infused edible gummies.
I haven’t popped one of those bad boys into my mouth yet. I’m a bit apprehensive, you see. But I will soon. Very soon. And when I do, I’ll put on some mind-expanding music, lean back on the living room sofa, and go on what, hopefully, will be a delightful journey through the spaceways. I’ve always been an oh wow-oriented kind of person to a fair degree. And the time seems right for me to increase that oh wow factor, via cannabis, as I did during my glory days many moons ago.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Neil, if you haven’t already enjoyed your high, here’s a song to consider as you enjoy the moment.
Have fun! Mona
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Great tune. I love the album it’s on.
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You can never have too many photos of sunsets! Cape Cod looks beautiful by sunset and in the moonlight. Your photo of the moon over Provincetown is superb.
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🌖 Here’s to the Moon!
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I’ve seen my share of beachside sunsets – that one is a keeper. As is the shot of the moon. We are fortunate to live in an area with very little artificial light, so the night skies are a constant spectacle.
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Hey there, Dave. The universe is infinitely beyond amazing. And we’re seeing most of it from incomprehensible distances.
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Such a stunning sunset! Let us know how those gummies go 🙂
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Hi. I’ll probably write a piece about my cannabis/gummies experiences. It’s on the agenda, for now.
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Neil, the sunset shot is great, but that moon-lit one is really cool!!
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Robert, is this you? — the comments were posted without anyone’s name attached to them. I got lucky with the Moon photo. It came out better than I was expecting.
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Beautiful sunset! And when you do indulge, I hope it’s really out of this world.
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A gummy will be entering my system any day now. It’s been SO long since I last had any cannabis.
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Nice piece. I miss hanging out on the Cape, especially between Truro and P-Town. We vacationed there when our kids were little. I was walking down Commericial St with my older kid when she was 3, and Rollerina came by in his/her tutu distributing leaflets. Kid: “Daddy, why is that man wearing a tutu?” Dad: “Because it’s fun; it’s a hot day and he’s on rollerskates, so why not?” Kid nods, satisfied with the answer. Some advice: start slow with the gummies, you don’t need to have a whole one the first time around.
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Hi Anthony. Provincetown is a fascinating place, for sure. I love the village. And the dunes, between the village and the ocean, are other-worldly. Thanks a lot for adding your thoughts. Take care.
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Absolutely gorgeous pictures and a nice vacation spot or great place to live. Isn’t it amazing you can get a high by chewing a gummy instead of destroying your lungs? Enjoy your blast from the past!
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Morning, Diane. Years ago, during my marijuana-smoking days, some people baked hash brownies. Eating them was a way to get high that didn’t involve inhaling smoke.
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Such beautiful photos, Neil! Whether you’re sitting on the beach, hiking in the mountains, or even relaxing in a rocking chair on your own front porch, watching a breathtaking sunset never gets old. Each day ends with a unique sunset that is unlike any that has come before or will come after. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Howdy, Aiva. You’re right — every sunset is totally unique. That’s part of their appeal, I think.
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There can NEVER be too many sunsets to see or photograph. Yours was spectacular. Thanks for sharing.
Once upon a time my husband and I were hippies – at least we smoked pot and lived a very carefree existence until, well, until we began to worry about our lungs and health care and other grown up things. There’s no recreational marijuana for sale where we live either but we have considered purchasing gummies. Let me know how your trip goes and maybe we’ll try them, too.
Have fun.
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Hi Linda. Where would you buy the gummies? In a neighboring state where they are legal?
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I saw them online. My husband says the THC is probably pretty low. oh, well. I’ll let you know. You keep me posted as well.
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Absolutely loved the sun and moon photos! I recall the stunning Chapin beach sunset, one of those beaches that goes on forever in low tide, and will look for it again when I get back there. Sometimes the clouds make it even more spectacular. Leaving the beach that evening and heading towards the car, the moon painted a magical pastel scene. So wonderful. And by the way, tourists go to pot shops here in Colorado all the time. Gummies are popular. 🙃
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Howdy, Ruth. There sure are a lot of beautiful stretches of beach on Cape Cod Bay. Here’s one I recommend, if you haven’t been to it: First Encounter Beach, in Eastham. Take care.
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In gummy form cannabis 😁
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The beach is the best place for pictures of sunsets and the moon. I love your pictures. I never get tired of sunsets and the moon. I hope you have a great experience with the cannabis gummies. Absolutely let us know what you think of them.
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Hi. I’ll probably write about the gummies within the next few months. I wonder how many people use gummies. Probably tens of millions, if not more.
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A nice post revisit Neil. Although life is a journey within itself, There are so many experiences to capture, remember, forget or redefine. Your take is filled with appreciation. I like that! 🔔❤️🔔 Wishing you all the Best for the Season!
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Many thanks, AOC. I appreciate all of that.
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Neil, I love the sunset photo. I believe breathtaking sunsets don’t always announce themselves until the **LAST MOMENT**. At leas, that was often the case along Lake Michigan where I grew up. Jumping from the sun to the moon, your fabulous photo reminded me of the night sky in Barbados–giant moon and a zillion stars all around. It’s the ocean effect, available I believe whenever one is “un-landlocked.”
I got a good laugh from your cannabis story. I live in a small MA city and we have ELEVEN cannabis stores right here! As for cannabis-infused edible gummies, many of my neighbors use them with no negative effect whatsoever. I can’t personally report because pot never did much for me, except make me sleepy.
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My first gummy experience was barely an experience, because, to be cautious, I had only half a gummy. Next time I’ll take a whole one. I’m hoping it will give me a real nice buzz.
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Fun post, full of surprises! I’ve spent some time in the Cape Cod / Provincetown area and it is a beautiful beach and seashore there. I agree with you on the sunsets … of course! And last … go ahead with a whole!
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Nature has been pretty well plowed under in my region. But it’s on grand display on Cape Cod, which is a big reason why my wife and I enjoy being there.
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One can never see too many sunsets or moonrises. And maybe you were also able to see some stars on your other journey.
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You’re right. Sunsets and moonrises are great events to pay attention to.
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Amazing post please check out my latest blog post
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This post has relevance as Mrs. Chess and I have been mentally planning a trip to New England for-ever, but we’ve never gotten past that planning phase and actually done it. Enjoyed this read, and maybe we’re now a little bit closer to doing this ourselves.😊
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Hey there, Bruce. New England has many very beautiful and interesting sections. You and your wife will have a fine time, if you decide to go.
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