I meant to write this in time for last week’s paper, but I missed the deadline. That means you will be reading these words on Nov. 5. Between this day […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
Alleyway
The place without a name, perfect for random excess
In every soul there is an alleyway. And every town has one: at least one place like this. Even in beautiful Provincetown, full of narrow winding lanes, lovely gardens, charming […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
Almost Cut My Hair
What is a haircut for, anyway?
PROVINCETOWN — I have not had a haircut in at least seven months. My hair is almost as long as it was 50 years ago. It doesn’t really matter; I […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
Hope Is the Thing With Flowers
A blossom survives in the corner of a playground
I aspire to be a writer. My two young granddaughters, though, ages four and seven, would not care if I never wrote another word. They are staying with us now, […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
The Summer of Our Discontent
Whose heart does not ache in these fearful times?
PROVINCETOWN — Nothing in life is perfect. I woke up this morning unrefreshed. The weather has been too damn hot, even at night. I ran out of full-strength coffee and […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
The American Dream
Recognizing a broken system for what it is
PROVINCETOWN — The American Dream rides high out on the gray waters of Provincetown Harbor this morning in the form of an immense yacht. Actually, I can see five yachts […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
What Makes a Story Important?
Just one of the hard questions local journalists must ask
Look at what you are holding in your hands (or reading online). It is the creation of a group of people dedicated to bringing you the stories of the Outer […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
A Higher-Stakes July 4th
Confronting instead of celebrating American history
The Fourth of July has come and gone and I am not quite sure what to make of it. There was celebration and merriment — always a good thing, I […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
What Work Is
The existential costs of being unemployed
The first time I really focused on the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, I was about eight years old. The rabbi explained that the two […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
A Dead Seal
The evidence of danger just beyond the beach
The immense corpse lay on its back on the upper beach, eyes heavenward, although unseeing. Its full abdomen, up-thrust chin, bristly whiskers, and jowly throat suggested a human quality; if […]
FOX NEWS
Seeking a Fair and Balanced Relationship With the Wild
The charm and danger of having a den next door
PROVINCETOWN — Carrie Medina Notaro first noticed the female red fox in her East End neighborhood in early January and began having “conversations” with her.
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
Beech Forest Drama
How birders prepare their minds for beauty
They were feathered jewels moving through the trees, gifts from the Southern Hemisphere and our Southern states, most on their way north, here on the Cape for a few days […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
What I Will Miss
The pleasures and relentless energy of Commercial Street
I will miss the throngs on Commercial Street in the center of town: the hubbub, the chatter, the flow of people, the animated wave of humanity — young and old, […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
Devastation Must Inform Action
What have we learned from the coronavirus?
The howling wind against my window reminds me of the coronavirus. Ruthless and breathtaking, neither storm nor plague has a master. Mindless and amoral, they go about their business with […]
THE YEAR-ROUNDER
We Need a New Compact
The Pilgrims had the right idea; it’s time to update it
Exactly 400 years ago this coming November, the good ship Mayflower sailed into Provincetown Harbor and anchored (a fact infuriatingly underreported in our national media). There were 102 souls on […]
