It doesn’t seem possible that these hills around us were planted. We know they were clear cut; Europeans and their ships had not seen trees this size in centuries. It […]
Visual Stories
THE WHOLE KITCHEN
Crêpes for Bastille Day — or Any Day
An artist imagines a meal in Monet’s kitchen
I have never been to France, never eaten a true French crêpe or croissant, never walked over the “Japanese Bridge” painted in multiplicity by a man with a long beard […]
GARDEN TOUR
Roses to Redbuds, and a Few Hydrangeas, Too
Five Eastham gardeners show off their artful outdoor spaces
Artist and gardener Alex Tureaud never wants to mow the lawn again. “Having a lawn is a very demanding chore to have to do at a beach house,” he says. […]
GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Forts Useless and Ridiculous
Life was tedious at the Civil War fortifications on Long Point
On March 5, 1864, Massachusetts ceded jurisdiction of Provincetown’s Long Point to the United States for a military reservation. People in town didn’t like the idea much, although they did […]
THE COCKTAIL
Raising a Glass to Revolution and Resistance
A blackberry-thyme version of the French 75 to stave off relocation
It’s weird how many drinks we consider classics were first mixed in France — a country that doesn’t really do cocktails. Admittedly, many of them were concocted largely for American […]
FOOD
The Edible Abundance of the Forest
In Feed Us With Trees, Elspeth Hay tells the story of food before farming
To Elspeth Hay, it has always seemed clear that, when it comes to food, we take more from this planet than we give. In her new book, Feed Us With […]
GOOD FENCES
A Dead Hedge Brings Life to an Orleans Garden
Hard work turns yard debris into an intriguing organic border
We never put much effort into the woods at the back of our property. Hurricane Bob took out most of the locust trees, then sycamore maples, honeysuckle, and runaway privet […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
A Perfect Fourth, Except for the Boaters
Striped bass are in an old spot that’s new again; blues are nowhere to be found
The waterfront was alive with activity this past week, culminating in a spectacular fireworks show on one of those 10-out-of-10 Chamber of Commerce perfect summer days. Given how much awful […]
CAPE COD BASEBALL
Firebirds Impressive in 5-2 Win Over Bourne
College teammates Murdock and Potestio lead the way
ORLEANS — The beaches of San Diego are about as far away as you can get from Cape Cod and still be in the continental U.S., but two Orleans Firebirds […]
NATURAL SELECTION
Love Is Like a Butterfly Weed
If Dolly Parton were a flower, she might just be a butterfly weed. Just like Dolly, Asclepias tuberosa is small in stature but bursting with life (native bees and bugs […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, July 8 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
ICE DREAMS
Two Outer Cape Figure Skaters Head to National Excel Festival
After a full season on the ice, they’re still training (and smiling)
ORLEANS — Harper Meads said she was feeling “more excitement than nerves” as she and her friend and fellow skater Sloane Young ripped across the ice at the Charles Moore […]
WEATHER
Long-Term Data Confirm: It’s Getting Muggier
If you watch the news or follow the weather at all, chances are you’ve heard of the Bermuda high. Meteorologically, the Bermuda high is really an extension of the Azores […]
FOUND AT THE FARMERS MARKET
Early Heat Can Be Sweet
July 5, 2025 Orleans Garlic has come early to the market, a result of dry and hot weather. Many farmers have garlic on offer, but Benjamin Chung of Caroline’s Corner […]
DATE AND TIME
Fresh Studies of This Quaint Old Town
By Charles O. Stickney, from the July 12, 1890 issue of the Boston Evening Transcript, selected and edited by Kaimi Rose Lum The daylight of one of the loveliest of […]
