November

November

“Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…” You know the song. It must be getting close to Thanksgiving. It is, but have you ever wondered why Grandmother didn’t live closer to town?

Before we get to Thanksgiving, let’s pause to salute our Veterans on Veteran’s Day, November 11th. In Osterville, an annual Veteran’s Day walk is held by the library, paying tribute to monuments and plaques erected in the village, to ensure we never forget the names inscribed upon them.

By mid-month, the Cape Cod winds have blown most of the leaves from the trees. A verse from an old traditional sailor’s sea shanty seems to paint the picture:

“Cape Cod cats ain't got no tails
Haul away, haul away
They lost them all in the northeast gales
Bound, bound away for Australia”

The song of unknown origin likely dates back to the height of the whaling industry which was headquartered on both Nantucket and in New Bedford. Ships from the Cape Cod area would frequently sail as far as Australia, taking advantage of the warm waters.

Speaking of northeast gales… tis the season for what we call a “Nor’Easter.” If you’re not familiar with the term, consider yourself lucky.  A Nor’Easter is basically a powerful storm, usually a winter storm that crawls up the East Coast, finds Cape Cod, and sits and spins, sometimes for days. High winds approaching hurricane force are common, as are inches of rain, and possibly, feet of snow.

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