'Waving' from the Beach

Oh, man! Did I ever need to get away for a little down time! Do you ever feel like that? It's one thing to take a day off here and there or spend some time with family and friends for a day or two. But sometimes you just need to unplug and breathe a bit.

That's exactly what Dave and I did two weeks ago. Earlier this summer my friend Gail mentioned her plans to visit Cape May, New Jersey; that sounded like such a good idea, Dave and I decided to spend a week there after the peak tourist season to relax and celebrate our anniversary. Plus it put me right across the Delaware Bay from Lewes, Delaware and the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild where I had a workshop event the following week.

Upon arrival in Cape May, our first chore was to find a place to relax. These porch chairs at the Hotel Macomber seemed just the ticket!

Cape May is on the very southern-most tip of New Jersey. Basically, you are surrounded by beach and ocean waves on all sides.

Without sound effects, it's hard to describe the way the foamy waves wash up on the sand, then dissipate into soft-bubble sounds.

Can't have a shoreline without a headlight. We visited the Cape May lighthouse on a perfect late summer day.

Adjacent to the Lighthouse parking lot, a bird sanctuary is a peaceful spot of all kinds of water fowl. Look at all those swans!

Cape May is perhaps best known for the historic Victorian-style mansions and inns that line Beach Avenue. The entire town is filled with Victorian Inns and painted-lady private residences. . . .

 . . . Like this one. While I'm not sure that this one is as old as many in the town, it's a favorite of mine! Love the purple! Even the gardens were filled with purple flowers! Purple is also a favorite stash color . . . just sayn!

As the week progressed, the weather took a turn. Fortunately, Hurricane Joaquin took a course well away from us. But some early weather predictions had it headed straight in our path. While we didn't get the direct hit from the storm, it left its mark with high winds and surf.

Cape May is known as a stopping point for many migrating birds. These swallows--hundreds of them!--took cover in the beach foliage, but got whipped into frenzied flight with the gusty winds. Amazing to see!

With the turn in the weather, it was a good opportunity to turn to some indoor sports. A stitchery store in town, Stitch by Stitch, had some counted cross-stitch patterns reflecting the Victorian feel of Cape May. I love it when I can combine vacation souvenirs and stitching . . .

Since we celebrated our anniversary in Cape May, Dave and I treated ourselves to some fabulous food!

You can find other quilters, too! A facebook post led to a warm beverage break with another quilty soul. Cathy saw my post, replied, then we arranged a rendez-vous. Very fun!

All good things must come to an end, and at the end of the week, my ferry ride across the Delaware Bay to Lewes, DE, was a bit wavy and bumpy, but efficient.

Speaking of quilty souvenirs, a quick stop at Mare's Bears Quilt Shop in Lewes during a break in between a really fun trunk show and fabulous workshop at the guild (really fun group--thanks for having me!) allowed me to find a some more beachy-quilty loot! I may just turn that cross-stitch into a small quilty wall-hanging with those seagulls . . .

The Victorian houses may not seem to go well with the funky seagull print, but they go with my memories of a truly wonderful trip quite nicely.

Happy Stitching!
joan