From time immemorial, women have had responsibilities large and demanding.  As caregivers, problem solvers and home fire tenders, women are always on call, it seems.   Add to that the complications of employment outside the home, and a woman’s need for some down time is clear.

Cape Cod is a perfect place to help recharge those batteries, and it’s here year round.  A bed and breakfast on Cape Cod is as good as a home base away from home gets.  We think we know something about orchestrating a weekend designed to do just that.

Picture yourself and a handful of sisters – family or friends – arriving at the end of a hard week ready for some down time and peace.  You’ll find your rooms inviting – fresh flowers, private bath, luxurious bedding.   Meet up on the first floor and enjoy a glass of champagne and a hot tub to unwind.  Enjoy your first night’s rest.

Your first morning, you’ll awaken to the tantalizing smells of a four-course gourmet breakfast waiting to get your getaway weekend rolling.  We’ll serve you in style in our breakfast room at a shining mahogany table dressed with sparkling American and English silver.

When you’re ready to take in Cape Cod, think of a drive down historic Route 6A for a little sight seeing, passing by or visiting any number of historic buildings or sites.   Stop in Provincetown and visit a gallery or two, a museum or two, a boutique or two.  Enjoy some lunch.

On your way West on 6A, stop and walk in the sun warmed sand on any of Cape Cod’s 115 beaches.  Watch the shore birds and wildlife indigenous to Cape Cod.  Skip a stone and just laugh at the retelling of a story that always makes you smile.

Back at the inn, enjoy afternoon tea with a variety of finger sandwiches and fresh baked scones with organic preserves and cream .  Follow it up with a spa treatment…a manicure, facial, pedicure, massage … arranged for by the Inn.

Then prepare yourself for a three-course dinner at one of Cape Cod’s finest restaurants.  Your evening could include theatre or music, or even dancing, if you choose.  Or, back at the Inn, enjoy an after dinner liqueur, some chocolate and camaraderie in front of a blazing fire in the comfort of the inn’s living room room.  Feel the stress fall away.

After another good night’s rest and another fueling four course breakfast, head out for a morning walk or run.  Or sit on the terrace enjoying another cup of coffee  and  the flowers in our English Garden.  Whatever you may have in mind for this day, it will have started in the best way possible.

Throughout your stay, as your hosts, we’ll be here to offer suggestions and provide whatever you may need to complete your weekend away with “the girls”.  You may come to us with the weight of the world on your shoulders, but we want you to go home with a smile and the memory of a great weekend spent with good friends.

Call us at 866-444-5522 or 508-362-8418 for more information, or visit us on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com/, where you can preview our rooms, see what is available for amenities and check out the details of our Girlfriend Getaway Package.

We look forward to seeing you.

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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

As Cape Cod residents and the proprietors of a lovely bed and breakfast in an historic 200-year-old Queen Ann style house, my wife and I may have something of a bias, but it’s a well deserved one. There is truly something for everyone here on the Cape, and the charm and appeal are definitely year-round. We may focus more on the indoors when the temperatures drop, but walks on any of our 500 miles of beach are still part and parcel of the appeal of Cape Cod. The Cape Cod National Seashore or the Cape Cod Canal should still be on your list of destinations.

The historic aspects of Cape Cod don’t go away when the leaves fall from the trees and come back with the first crocus in spring. There is a lot of colonial and pre-colonial history to be found on the Cape. From First Encounter Beach to any number of historically preserved and restored buildings, your options for historically slanted activities are vast.

A simple drive along Route 6A is completely different in winter. Ride down to Provincetown and spend a day with cultural distractions. Artists are plentiful in Provincetown, and a gallery or studio tour combined with a museum visit or two makes for a lovely day. Or travel to Yarmouth and visit the Zooquarium. Built with children in mind, the Zooquarium nonetheless offers educational and entertaining exhibits for all ages.

You really don’t have to wander far to appreciate your getaway, actually, when it comes down to it. We do offer a tempting array of amenities back at the Inn, too, for the down time between excursions and for the unwind at the end of the day. Our rooms are luxuriously furnished with antiques, white wicker and feather beds – wonderful places to spend a snowy day. Or, rest in front of the fireplace in the Great Room. Put up your feet and read a book from our library. Enjoy afternoon tea before heading out for dinner, or if you like, you could prepare dinner right at the Inn. We can accommodate dinner in. We have a Viking Barbecue on site, and really, barbecued anything hits the spot in winter. There will be no dining al fresco, of course, but the meal cannot help but succeed.

We have board games and DVD players and flat screen tv’s, too, for other forms of low key entertainment. If business does have to come with you on your weekend, you will have access to WIFI, fax machine and other resources.

And breakfast is something we do particularly well, if I do say so. It is a full four-course gourmet affair and is served in a tastefully appointed breakfast room on a shining mahogany table. It is the best way to start a day of either indoor or outdoor activities.

If there is a specific attraction you think you’d like to see, or really want dinner at the best seafood restaurant nearby, or want to take yourself for a snowshoe or a bracing beach walk, we are here to help with your planning. Winter may be a quieter time, but there is no reason to be quiet at home! Come visit us on Cape Cod and enjoy some time away.

To find out more about us, our specials, our amenities, our rooms and, well, us, visit us on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com, or phone us toll free at 866-444-5522. We look forward to your visit.

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Cape Cod in the New Year

The Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich are decked out with a million lights on over one hundred acres of gardens through December 31st. There are also indoor Victorian displays, a holiday boutique, and holiday treats. Free rides on an antique carousel will delight children from one to ninety-two with a nostalic trip to the past. Make your way through the Hart Family Maze or have your picture taken with Santa in the Model T at the J. K. Lilly Automobile Museum.

The Harwich Junior Theater is performing the classic and timeless holiday tale, A Christmas Story from December eight to the thirtieth.

Other performance treats include the Cape Cod Symphony, renditions of Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, the Vienna Boys Choir, as well as readings of Charles Dickens’ favorite A Christmas Carol. Read more at Suite101: Winter Holiday Trip to Cape Cod: For Christmas or Hanukah Enjoy the Outdoors, Lights and Festivities.

Christmas strolls have become a popular Cape Cod tradition in many of the towns including Barnstable, Chatham, Dennis, Falmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, Osterville, Sandwich and Yarmouthport. These strolls are tied in with other events such as caroling on town greens or lighthouses, tree lighting, the arrival of Santa (sometimes even by boat), open houses, museum events and Christmas parades.

View more holiday events at http://www.capecodchamber.org/holiday

Book A Cape Cod Holiday Vacation! Consider spending the holiday season on Cape Cod so you too can explore all that the region has to offer during this special time of year.

Already have plans for the holidays? Perhaps you are reading this after the holiday season. Well, apart from telling you to book now for next year, how about considering a romantic winter vacation on the Cape? What better way to enjoy Cape Cod’s countryside and Honeysuckle Hill’s charm than with a romantic winter getaway. In winter, the quiet and peacefulness of the Cape is something that must be experienced firsthand. Just close your eyes and listen. The winter sunset on the beaches is a glorious treat that photos just can’t fully capture. It must be experienced in person to be fully appreciated.

A person cannot live on romance and scenery alone. During the winter you can also enjoy great antique shopping, Woods Hole Science Aquarium, cross country skiing and tubing, fine dining, ice skating, and even enjoy seal watching and the occasional flip of a whale fin. Keep an eye out for a Cape Cod tradition of decorating trees and shrubs near the beaches with shells and other beachcast treasures. Everyone is welcome to contribute.

Last of all, return to the inn for a warm cozy fire and a sip of hot chocolate or a favorite wine to enjoy the warmth of family and friends.

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December Fun On Cape Cod

We’re accustomed to lots and lots of summertime traffic. No encouragement is necessary to bring visitors to the Cape when it’s warm. What we know that non-residents may not is that folks could still benefit from a weekend away in the so called “off months”. My wife and I run a bed and breakfast in West Barnstable on the Cape, and we always offer a fall special to encourage fall weekend visits. We know the charm of fall is enhanced by a visit to Cape Cod, and we’d like others to share with us in autumn on the Cape.

In the month of November, people’s minds have definitely turned toward the holidays. That’s true here, too, of course. Cape Cod has long been a haven to a large population of artists and artisans. In addition to the galleries and shops that carry the work of local artists and artisans year round, a whole spate of quality craft shows join the offerings through which a visitor may enjoy those people’s work.

This month, right here in West Barnstable, for example, you can enjoy or purchase the works of Nettie Berkeley and her Beach Town Friends at their Holiday Boutique Arts and Crafts show, which runs through the first two weeks in November. This cooperative effort includes a polymer clay artisan, a multi-media artisan, an abstract artist and a painter. You could walk to this show, shop, and be home in time to dress for the dinner included with our Fall for Cape Cod weekend package. Your holiday shopping would include some unique gifts that you could be sure would be not be duplicated. Hand crafts are always such a special way to gift.

To a note a couple other craft shows on the Cape in November, early in the month is Cape Cod Tech’s Holiday Craft fair with over 150 crafters represented. This show held down the Cape a tad in Harwich.

Later in the month up the Cape a bit in Bourne is the 15th Annual American Made Professional Arts and Craft Fair. With more than 90 unique crafters, this could be a mother lode for holiday shoppers.

In addition to these seasonal craft shows, there is an Art and Artisans Trails book that will guide you to the best of the area’s shops and galleries, which do not close up and leave for the off season months. If shopping is your aim on the Cape, and it certainly should be included in your Cape pursuits this time of year, we can help!

Combine your holiday shopping with a stay in our 200-year old B&B in our cozy sitting room with a lovely fireplace, a nearby beach, luxurious accommodations and a remarkable four-course gourmet breakfast, and you’ve the makings of the best of both worlds – gift shopping for the holiday season and a little justifiable self-indulgence. Add complimentary wines, liqueurs, beer, soda, water (and hard liquor too!) along with snacks like chocolates, nuts, fruit etc. and often wine and cheese, or cookies. If you haven’t already, you will definitely fall for Cape Cod at Honeysuckle Hill.

To learn more about us at the Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast, visit us on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com/index.html. Be sure to visit the Specials page to see the details of our Fall for Cape Cod special. If you have questions not answered on our site, please do call (toll free) 866-444-5522.

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Final Fall Fling

If you think of Cape Cod as only a summer destination, consider a leaf-peeping visit to the area. The weather is warm enough to be outdoors and explore the natural attractions of the Cape, and cool enough to come back to the Inn (our Inn) and enjoy some time in front of the fireplace in the great room. The best of both worlds, in my opinion.

Our B&B is the perfect choice for your home base on Cape Cod. Your day will start with coffee, tea or juice, and a four-course breakfast which, this time of year, includes locally grown seasonal fruits and vegetables fresh and in baked goods. Pumpkin, pear, apple, and plum all add a special seasonal something on a crisp autumn morning.

A road trip down historic Route 6A looks a lot different in October than in the summer. In addition to the color, those trees that have started losing leaves help modify the summer views. More can be seen as the leaves fall away from the trees. The ocean is more turbid and a little wilder. The beaches are less visited and the wildlife can be seen busily preparing for the next season.

Cape Cod’s historic venues, and there are many of them, are still open for business. You could easily combine an indoor visit to a of historically relevant buildings, such Eastham Windmill – the oldest windmill on Cape Cod – and Nauset Light with a visit to First Encounter beach, for example.

With the month culminating in Halloween, you can bet there will be plenty of family entertainment. Haunted houses, ghosts and not-so-spooky kids’ gatherings are part and parcel of October on the Cape. Right here in Barnstable, for the brave at heart, is a haunted overnight (not recommended for smaller children) at the Old Jail. The event starts at 9 p.m. and runs through 3 a.m. A spooky time can be had by all… Also here in Barnstable is a walk of the historic and haunted “Old King’s Highway” which culminates in a stop in front of Cape Cod’s most haunted building …the House of Eleven Ghosts. Brrrrr.

On a lighter note, across the peninsula from us in Falmouth, the Harvest of Horrors, a live action stage show where the audience becomes part of the story, is a perennial favorite…for 30 years! And for daytime distractions, take part in the Halloween Kids Fest. Pumpkin picking, tractor rides, and a “light’s on” tour of the Harvest of Horrors Haunted House make for a perfect October day family activity.

A day trip to Provincetown would be a fun way to spend a day, too. Visit the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum to touch the history of the first settlers of the area. Visit a gallery or two to see the gathered works of local artists. You might even visit an artist in his or her studio to get up close and personal with the process.

We invite you not to discard October as a time to visit Cape Cod. Come stay with us here at Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast. Visit us on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com/. Take a look at our rooms. Check out our Fall for Cape Cod guest package. Consider our convenient location and vast amenities. We look forward to seeing you!

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Foliage Season

I know, because I live and work on Cape Cod.  My wife and I run a bed and breakfast in the village of West Barnstable. Here on Cape Cod, in addition to back to school, we also welcome the transition to a whole new season.  There is still so much to do.  We don’t really wind down here; we just change direction and keep on rolling.  Maybe we start moving the entertainment indoors.  Maybe we change focus from suntan to a Sunday visit to a gallery. Maybe we start looking at the changes in the local flora and fauna.  There are options. Many, many options.

From Falmouth to Provincetown – including neighboring Barnstable –  there are art shows. Galleries are showing local artists, and there are many fine artists who call the Cape home.  There are fundraisers selling the works of local artists and artisans. Many of these are without an entry fee, so you can be a shopper or a window shopper and get your dose of culture.

Or, if you’re a fan of bazaars, antiques sales and arts and crafts fairs, September offers a fair selection of those, too. Three of those are in Sandwich and Brewster, between which we happen to be conveniently located.  The Sandwich Artisans Show covers two weekends in September, one early and one later in the month.  The Sandwich Bazaar and Antique Sale is the Upper Cape’s oldest and largest flea market and runs right through the middle of October.  Sandwich is a fun destination anyway. These special events just add to the appeal.  A Farmer’s Market is part of this show, too. Cape Cod has some mighty fine locally grown produce.  Since we have the facilities for our guests to cook their own lunches and dinners, this is a nice way to enhance your barbecue.

The Brewter Fine Arts and Crafts Show is Labor Day Weekend, so could be a fun event to combine with a weekend at our bed and breakfast.  Cozy ambiance, a four-course gourmet breakfast, and day of shopping.  Wouldn’t that be a great way to finish off summer? Or welcome autumn, for that matter…

If a bit of music is what would liven up your weekend on the Cape, September is a month of variety.  The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra Autumn Fest will be at the end of the month in Hyannis…just 15 minutes from our B&B.

Traditional Irish music is a half hour away from us and is part and parcel of weekend evenings at the Orleans Waterfront Inn.  Twenty minutes away in West Harwich at Jake Rooney’s, Saturday nights light up with the music of the great singers and songwriters of the Jazz Era.  The Greater Falmouth Mostly All-Male Men’s Chorus has Saturday night concerts the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th weekends in September.

If the historical side of Cape Cod is what you’re looking for, there are those options, too, of course. Cape Cod has more history to offer than you could take in in a weekend anyway, but through September, there are special events for every taste.  Right next door in Barnstable is the hugely popular, and slightly spooky, Haunted Overnights at the Old Jail, which can be enjoyed by individuals or by special arrangement for a group.  We’d at the inn can provide accommodation for a group of up to 10 people on the nights it is not sequested at the Jail.

The outdoor experience of the Cape is still big fun this time of year. The beaches and marshes look and feel different on sunny vs. overcast or rainy days.  A walk on the beach after with the intent to catch one of Cape Cod’s glorious sunsets is a wonderful way to cap a day.

If you’re looking for a trip to Cape Cod to enjoy September offerings, look us up on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com/. Look at our specials, check our amenities.  We are centrally located and will offer you the perfect base for your weekend on the Cape.

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Fall into Cape Cod

The prize among the beaches is the Cape Cod National Seashore – an unspoiled sandy beach 40 miles long on the Outer Cape.  This is a great destination if you’re looking for a beach-related activity. There are miles of hiking and biking trails throughout the CCNS.  There is also an off-road vehicle program for those who enjoy that sport.  Some of the nicest treats are the ranger guided events.  You don’t know what you don’t know until you’ve gotten involved in one of these events.  There are a large number of ranger guided things going on in July and August.  You’re not limited to walking, either.   There are canoe adventures, clamming lessons, surfcasting classes, bird watching, and the list goes on!  Be sure to investigate these opportunities if you find yourself in Provincetown, Truro,  Eastham or Wellfleet and are looking for an outdoor beach-related activity.

If you have children and are taking a drive down the length of Cape Cod on historic route 6A, for example, a beach could be a good option for a picnic lunch.  Not every beach has picnic tables or diversions like swings or a playground for young ones, but some of those that do include Veterans Beach in Barnstable (just a short distance from our inn), Cockle Cove Beach in Chatham, and First Encounter Beach or Cooks Brook Beach  on Cape Cod Bay in Eastham.

First Encounter Beach is also a good destination for history buffs.  In fact, all of Cape Cod is an historical gold mine, and there are a lot of ‘firsts’ that have happened on the Cape, but since we’re talking beaches, we’ll talk First Encounter Beach.  This is where, on December 8, 1620, the Pilgrims were first attacked by New World Natives.  It was a brief battle – just a skirmish really – but the Pilgrims thought it was notable and named the beach accordingly. There is a plaque commemorating the event. It lives on a rock in front of Eastham’s town hall.

Any beach is a good beach for sunbathing, but there are a couple of note.  Nauset Light Beach in Orleans offers rented umbrellas and chairs making light the load of what you carry to the beach with you.  Marconi Beach in Wellfleet has the most dramatic dunes on the peninsula and has a boardwalk as well. Bass Hole or Gray’s Beach in Yarmouth includes a 2.5-mile trail and a boardwalk.

For the seafaring visitor to Cape Cod, there are a couple of beaches that can only be accessed by boat.  These are Long Point Beach in Provincetown (shuttle service is available) and North Beach in Chatham.

For lighthouse lovers, there are 14 historical lighthouses on Cape Cod, and of course, most are located near and/or overlooking beaches.  There are three right on the eastern most tip of Cape Cod around Provincetown, and nearby in Truro is Highland Light, a.k.a. Cape Cod Light, which, in the 1800’s, was usually the first one seen by those arriving by boat from Europe and approaching Massachusetts Bay.

Cape Cod attractions are accessible year-round. You need not wait ’til summer to enjoy the beach offerings of Cape Cod.  If you’re thinking of or are planning a trip to the Cape, consider the Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast in West Barnstable as your home base. Visit us online at http://honeysucklehill.com/.  We are impromptu tour planners, as well as innkeepers and will be happy to help find the best beaches on Cape Cod to suit your tastes.

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Hit the Beach

Because of the possibility that a guest may have allergies, we keep our animals in the inkeepers’ quarters, but they are available by request for a little ‘fur therapy’.  They are requested often.

The old hands at greeting are our canine contingent — Gus, our Golden Retriever, and Harry, our Chocolate Lab.  They are well known locally and are quite popular with our guests.  They will happily sit for you while you stroke them, and a trick or two for a treat is not beyond the bounds of reason.

Until last year, we had a third greeter. Her name was Gwen, and she was a Champion Champagne Mink Tonkinese Cat. She shared her life with us for an astonishing 16 years. Sadly, she is no more.  We sorely miss her presence.  Although we cannot – and would never try to – replace her, it became clear to us quite quickly that we (and Gus and Harry) were missing a feline presence in our lives.

We mulled over our options for several months.  We adored our Tonkinese cats and, in fact, were breeders for about 10 years.  For those of you who may not have heard of them, the Tonkinese are a blend of Burmese and Siamese. The Siamese markings are clear on a Tonkinese cat.  The Burmese part is a  true lap animal. They are quick to learn and extremely loyal, very trusting of people and often beat their owners to the door to greet guests. Burmese are often described as ‘doglike’ because they tend to follow their owners from room to room.  And, fortuitously, they tend to get along well with their canine cousins.

So, in making our final decision, we chose to take a slight detour. We’ve gone back to one of the origins of the Tonkinese — to the Burmese breed — not a far cry from Tonkinese roots. We have two new residents  to add to our household and to our pettable amenities: a delightful brother/sister pair of  Burmese kittens named Troilus, who is Platinum in color; and Cressida, who is Champagne in color.  Troy and Sid have brought new sparkle and laughter to an already fun environment.  Gus and Harry and our two rescue cats (Tristan and Isolde) have welcomed them into their lives and, so far, it would appear that the kittens are in charge.  Troy and Sid can amuse themselves with absolutely anything including my socks (we have no idea where some of those have got to), pieces of newspapers, and dogs’ tails.

Thank goodness things are back in balance.

We invite you to join us on Cape Cod.  To see a complete list of our amenities, including our pettables, please visit us on-line at http://honeysucklehill.com/pettables.html where you can see our dogs, Gwen, and the new kids.  We are a year-round facility. Cape Cod is a wonderful destination all four seasons. The historical aspects of the peninsula are many and are not seasonal, and we will be more than happy to be your hosts (along with a few pettables).

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The Cat’s Pajamas

Route 6A, also known as the Old King’s Highway, is roughly 34 miles of road running through Cape Cod from Bourne on Cape Cod Canal at the west end of the peninsula and traveling south and east to Orleans. It runs right by my front door, in fact. My wife and I run a Bed and Breakfast in West Barnstable and always enjoy the opportunity to ride along even a piece of the route.

We have a particular fondness for the historic aspects of this drive. Each community traversed by Route 6A has an historic something to offer.

In Bourne, the Aptucxet Trading Post and the Briggs-McDermott House are of note. The existing Trading Post structure is a replica erected on the original foundation excavated in the 1920’s. The Briggs-McDermott House is a Greek Revival style house located in Historic Bourne Village. This house was nearly destroyed in the early 1970’s, but thanks to the determination of a group of concerned citizens, the house was registered with the Massachusetts Historical Commission in 1974 and has been on the National Register of Historic places since 1981.  It is restored to the period between 1840 and 1910.

The next town on the route is Sandwich. There are several historical points of interest in Sandwich. It could be a destination of its own, in fact. With the buildings managed by the Dexter Historical Society, Hoxie House, and the Wing Fort House, to name just a few, one could be immersed in history for several hours.

The Dexter Historical Society is responsible for the Dexter Grist Mill, the Abbott Museum and Gift Shop, and the Carr School. Each of these buildings is between 100-200 years old and each offers a rich and varied background for the history enthusiast.

If long-standing residences are your cup of tea, consider Hoxie house and Wing Fort House.  Hoxie House, built circa 1638, may be the oldest house on Cape Cod (there are a couple houses in Provincetown that also may own that claim). It was acquired by the town of Sandwich in the 1950’s and has been restored with an historically accurate austere beauty. The Wing Fort House’s claim to fame, besides its age, is that it has been owned and occupied continuously by the same family for over 300 years. It was built in 1641.

In Barnstable, there are several beautiful and historic buildings. Our own home, the Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast, is nearly 200 years old!  The Olde Colonial Courthouse is very interesting. The building is made of wood and is one of the oldest court houses in the nation, although it stopped serving as such in 1938.

Traveling to Yarmouth, there are two more colonial residences to visit. The Captain Bangs Hallet house is a sea captain’s home circa 1840. The parlors are arranged as though the Captain had just returned from an extended voyage to the Far East. Those rooms are filled with items from that area.  The Winslow Crocker House was actually built in Barnstable and moved to Yarmouth in 1936 by Mary Thacher, an antiques collector.

If visiting Dennis, include the sites maintained by the Dennis Historical Society  on your agenda.  The society maintains about 14 historical sites of varying natures.  For a look at a period theatre, there is the Cape Playhouse. If you prefer a more nautical flavor, visit Bass River Lighthouse, the Sea Captain’s Church, or the Shiverick Shipyard. If colonial life, in general, is your interest, include the 1736 Josiah Dennis Manse, the home of the man for whom the town is named, and the 1745 one-room schoolhouse on the same property. For a broad view of the mid-Cape, take yourself up to Scargo Tower, located on the highest point in the mid-Cape, and view the Cape all the way to Provincetown and to Yarmouth on the West.

The next village East on Route 6A is Brewster where some different sorts of historical sites may be found.  The Stoney Brook Grist Mill and the Harris Black House and Windmill are examples.  The New England Fire and History Museum is another.

The last village to see on your road trip down Route 6A is Orleans.  The French Cable Station Museum houses an historic collection of original undersea cable, maps, instruments and other assorted memorabilia.  This is the station through which, in 1927, came word that Charles Lindburgh had landed in Paris. The Jonathan Young Windmill is a site to see as well. All of its original parts and machinery are intact, making it historically unique.

And where should you stay while you explore Route 6A? With us, at the Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast in West Barnstable. Look for us online at http://honeysucklehill.com/.  Not only can we provide you with a lovely ambiance, good company, and a 3-course gourmet breakfast, we can provide suggestions for your Route 6 travel and cruising plans.

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Come to Play on Route 6A

I have the ideal situation insofar as I get to enjoy two of my hobbies on a daily basis. I, along with my wife Ruth, own an Inn, Honeysuckle Hill, on Cape Cod, and I can spend many hours tending to and extending the English gardens which surround the Inn with colorful constantly changing character throughout the year.

The most fun, however, is creating and producing ever changing creations for inclusion on our extensive breakfast menu. We are lucky to live in an area which is well served by fresh local produce from the local farm markets. I will only purchase organic foods, free range eggs and the best of the more exotic imported fruits and vegetables. These I personally select each day. We grow most of our own herbs which I can pick fresh as required. During the summer, I can pick fresh raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes if the chipmunks and birds haven’t already harvested them.

The menu changes daily and is comprised of four courses.

Every morning, guests awaken to the aroma of their first breakfast course, freshly baked blueberry or cranberry muffins, breakfast scones or Boston coffee, wafting through the Inn, which is accompanied by the best coffee and tea that we can find. Fresh fruit purchased the afternoon before follows, and then creativity reigns. French toast may seem fairly basic but with the addition of fresh squeezed orange juice, a splash of Grand Marnier and chopped pecans, it becomes a very grand starter, or it may be crepes with a fresh blueberry and cranberry filling or home made Belgian waffles with a fresh cream and fruit topping served with real Vermont maple syrup.

For the final breakfast course, our guests are served one of my own special creations which, just to mention a few, include Eggs Benedict with a delicate lemony hollandaise, “Cape Cod Shipwreck”, which is somewhat similar to a ham and cheese souffle, and “Cape Kedgeree”, with its 28 secret ingredients which guests are invited to guess. Food is a full sensory experience; it should look good, and smell good as well as taste good. I like to be creative with my presentation of foods. A strategically placed sprig of parsley or fresh chopped chives can lift a presentation.

There are, of course, some guests who feel that a simpler breakfast suits them best. For those who prefer a lighter breakfast, we make our own granola which may be served with local yoghourt and fresh fruits and which many of our guests on diets find to be an ideal start to the day. There are other simpler choices as well, such as “straightforward” eggs, breakfast cereals, toast and jam.

There is no end to the amount of fun a chef can have with breakfast if you use fresh local produce imaginatively, I seem to know which combination of tastes will work best and derive great satisfaction from the delighted “oohs and aahs” frequently heard from the breakfast room. My culinary ego truly peaks when, after the last course, I am sometimes met with applause from an especially gregarious and well sated gathering of guests. What can I say? A chef’s ego does need to be fed!

Many of our guests have the same intuitive culinary skills but are afraid to use them. Go ahead and experiment, but do try the end product yourself before serving it up to an unsuspecting bevy of guests!

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A Passion for Cooking at Honeysuckle Hill