Smooth Sumac Along The Trails On Cape Cod.

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I’ve seen so many of these red berry bushes on the trails and wondered what they are. In doing some research, I learned they are called Smooth Sumac. (Click on blog link for other photo.)

This particular Sumac is called Smooth Sumac, which is not poisonous,  and grows  from  8 to 15 feet tall.  It provides winter food for hundreds of bird species and nectar for pollinators.  An interesting fact is that you can also soak the red berries in cold water to make a tart, vitamin-C-rich drink.

Have you seen any of these Smooth Sumac bushes along the trails?

Don’t Forget To Cover Your Boat, Or You Might Have Some Unexpected Visitors!

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These Double-crested Cormorants have certainly found the perfect place to perch… a beautiful sailboat without a cover. I wonder what the owners will say when they try to go out on their boat and find a bit of a mess…

A Bit Late For This Gorgeous Monarch Butterfly To Still Be On The Cape?

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Yesterday I couldn’t wait  to go out for a walk between the rain showers. While I was gone, Phil saw this beautiful Monarch butterfly that was feasting on our still-blooming Zinnias.  (Click on blog link for other photos.)

It stayed for over an hour just flitting from flower to flower while we both had fun taking so many pics.

It was very cooperative as it posed in every position possible. Just beautiful!

It really was one of the prettiest Monarchs I’ve seen in a long time… such vibrant colors! I sure hope it starts its long southern journey soon and there are a lot of flowers along the way!

Gorgeous View But Those Waves Are Huge!!

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The waves were really big yesterday afternoon at Coast Guard Beach and that was just the beginning. (Click on blog link for other photos.)
You can see that the water is up to the dunes already at high tide.


I wonder what Mother Nature has in store for these beautiful beaches over the next few days…

The Waves Are Getting Pretty Big On Cape Cod.

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We took a ride out to the beaches yesterday to see how big the waves were before the storm and they were cranking! This photo is from the parking lot at Nauset Light Beach. You can see how much erosion there is on the dune by the parking lot… there’s not a whole lot of land left between the parking lot and the water below, especially at high tide. It’ll be interesting to see what Mother Nature has in store for this weekend!

Cape Cod daily articles and photography on places to hike, experience and enjoy. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.