Walking Rural Cape Cod

My mother in law's pond

Welcome to today's #Wednesdaywalk which was created by @tattoodjay and #makemesmile by @elizacheng .

As I've been spending a few days a week at mums, I thought I'd share my last walk there. I walk daily at home, which is on the seashore, so it's a nice change at mum's as her water is a fresh water pond.

Calm day on the pond

Her darling cottage sits on one of the many ponds that dot Cape Cod. Often called kettle ponds, which were formed when the glaciers cut through the land eons ago, leaving freshwater lakes and ponds to accompany the brackish inlets that lead to the salty sea.

looking into some more of the back garden pond side

I often start my walk down by the pond, waking on the funny little dock as a starting point, then meander around the garden. It's not a large property, only 3 acres, but it's enough to stretch my legs and look at all the things waiting to grow.

The Chicken house, now devoid of Chicken residents

There are a few quaint out buildings on the property and I Love the chicken house. Is high Summer there is a lush garden around here. The darling brick path leads up to the door are from the same bricks used on other paths in the property. To keep them 'old' they were actually bought en masse from a lot in Boston when an old area was being torn up. Their uneven shapes and old stamped names of businesses and brick layers long since gone, add to the rural charm, I think.

Lovely old stone walls dot the rural landscape on Cape Cod

After leaving mum's property, the small road upon which her house sits is wonderful for walks. It's a narrow private road dotted with old houses, stone wall, farm buildings, and cranberry bogs.

Scenic farm on Cape Cod

I've always loved this bit of the walk, as you come out of a little bit of heavily wooded bit of the road (you can go off into various paths into woodlands and conservation land). Here, however, as the scene opens up , the old stone walls meander the acerage and trees dot the open fields whilst the greying cedar shaked "cape cod' style outbuildings blend so peacefully with a blue grey mid Winter sky.

Old but serviceable flood gate on bog

I love these such as this old sluice gate, which is still used. You can see New England sensibility and thift means an old tree and tree branch are still good enough to control the lever and gate to allow water to flood or recede from working cranberry bogs.

Cranberries are still very much a crop grown here and often on the old buildings next them you'll see the familiar "ocean spray" logo, who is the main purchaser of the Cape grown crop.

a little side porch on the cottage

Then back home again, jiggity jig, after a good brisk morning walk. I'll most likely grab a tea and visit her on this small side porch with mum. It faces one of her little gardens we're planning for Spring.

I hope you enjoyed my #WednesdayWalk and hope you'll join in with us next week.

As always, I hope you find a moment in your day to relish the Now and to revel in your own passions.