We asked our contributing photographers to show us what they were seeing on the streets on July 4th. They answered with candy scramblers, stilt-walkers, beachgoers, protesters, and flag-wavers (and wearers), all relishing the idea of independence. —The editors … ▶
Main Content
THIS WEEK ON THE OUTER CAPE
BIRDWATCHING
A Secret Planter of Oaks
Giving blue jays the credit they deserve for reforesting the Outer Cape’s woodlands
THE WHOLE KITCHEN
Crêpes for Bastille Day — or Any Day
An artist imagines a meal in Monet’s kitchen
GARDEN TOUR
Roses to Redbuds, and a Few Hydrangeas, Too
Five Eastham gardeners show off their artful outdoor spaces
GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Forts Useless and Ridiculous
Life was tedious at the Civil War fortifications on Long Point
THE COCKTAIL
Raising a Glass to Revolution and Resistance
A blackberry-thyme version of the French 75 to stave off relocation
FOOD
The Edible Abundance of the Forest
In Feed Us With Trees, Elspeth Hay tells the story of food before farming
GOOD FENCES
A Dead Hedge Brings Life to an Orleans Garden
Hard work turns yard debris into an intriguing organic border
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
CAPE COD BASEBALL
Firebirds Impressive in 5-2 Win Over Bourne
College teammates Murdock and Potestio lead the way
NATURAL SELECTION
Love Is Like a Butterfly Weed
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
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)
WEATHER
Long-Term Data Confirm: It’s Getting Muggier
FOUND AT THE FARMERS MARKET
Early Heat Can Be Sweet
DATE AND TIME
Fresh Studies of This Quaint Old Town
VIEWFINDER
Summer Sights
I SCREAM
The Annual Outer Cape Ice Cream Report
Independent writers dare to share on dairy
ASTRAL PROJECTIONS
A Universe Full of Potential
Be ready to roll with the punches
BEACH/HOUSE Spring 2025
A Cottage Garden in the Dunes
Spring blossoms brave a windy perch above the bay
Hidden behind a rustic wooden fence tiny spring treasures abound: Nodding bluebells, arching ferns, dainty forget-me-nots, and self-sown alexanders in a glowing … ▶
In the Mood for Wallpaper
Letting layers, textures, and scale deliver design that feels just right
Few things make me happier than adding color to walls. As a decorator, I know that nothing else creates the same effect so quickly. But recently, I’ve had a lot of … ▶
A Lofty Lineage in North Truro
How a space once used for storing sails came to house an artistic legacy
Sometimes you just know when a place is the one. It was 1978 when Anne Webb Johnson and her husband, David, found themselves looking at an unusual house on Hughes … ▶
One Strong Table
Peter McMahon’s design can be as fancy or plain as its materials make it
Peter McMahon is not going to brag about his tables. They are what he calls “a Flintstones solution” to a practical problem. After McMahon founded the Cape Cod … ▶
Bathtime Under the Stars
Old clawfoot tubs find new purpose nestled in open-air oases of ferns and succulents
Kai Potter discovered outdoor bathing at 13, when he visited friends who lived in Harwich. “They had this bathtub out in the woods,” Potter says. A fire under the … ▶
Mini Makeovers
Deep colors and a warm glow bring calm to children’s bathrooms
Kids’ bathrooms are surely not at the top of most people’s home-improvement wish lists. As long as it’s a room that’s functional and ready to withstand some wear and … ▶
The Tire Swing Grows Up
Jeff Soderbergh’s ring chair is made of history
The wood floors of Jeff Soderbergh’s furniture workshop in Portsmouth, R.I. were salvaged from the box cars of old freight trains. The beams that support the … ▶
