Sketchbook Journeys - Cape Cod: Days 3-5

Any visit to Provincetown is guaranteed to be memorable. It has interesting people, charming historic buildings, a bustling harbor, fun shops, and dogs everywhere!

Ink & watercolor in a hardbound 5.5" x 8.5" Stillman and Birn Beta series sketchbook

I tried to capture some of its quirky vibe in this composite page. The whimsical lettering sets the tone, and the bright colors give the page a happy feel. I love that bright Leaf Green - it's almost fluorescent.

The 252-foot high Pilgrim Monument is one of the first things you see when approaching Provincetown, so I wanted to include it on my page, along with the beautiful bell tower of one of the downtown churches.

In front of the church was a row of gorgeous hydrangeas and roses. I've never met a hydrangea I didn't like - who can resist that deep blue color? And the way they turn to chartreuse and burgundy in the fall...don't they just beg to be painted?

The main street through Provincetown is open to traffic, but everyone treats it as a pedestrian mall. It wasn't too crowded when we were there after Labor Day, but it must be a zoo in peak season.

Our cottage was on the bay side of Cape Cod, but the ocean beaches were only a mile away. Off-season is the time to visit. The parking lots were practically empty and we had the beach to ourselves. Buckley ran like the wind, free and unleashed, the happiest dog for miles around. We couldn't stop smiling.

Ink & watercolor in a 5.5" x 8.5" Stillman and Birn Beta series sketchbook

The weather got warmer as the week wore on and we spent lots of time outdoors...

Ink & watercolor in a 5.5" x 8.5" Stillman and Birn Beta series sketchbook

Sketching gave me a good excuse to sit in the sun and watch Buckley chasing his tennis ball. Back and forth, over and over again, Fred threw the ball and Buckley retrieved it, shaking salty water all over us then heading back into the water for another romp.

"Which beach should we go to this afternoon?" was the most pressing question of the day.

Nauset Light Beach won out, and tomorrow you'll see who was hanging out there all afternoon with us...