Sun And Fun On The Cape Charles Beach
We spent a few days over the 4th of July at a charming Victorian home overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and sparkling sand beach on Bay Avenue in the quaint historic town of Cape Charles, VA. The plan was to have a couple of grandkids for a sleepover on Wednesday night, then a big family gathering to watch the fireworks on Thursday night and finally for Hubby and I to grab a well-deserved day of peace and quiet on Friday. For once, things went some what according to plan. We rolled into town just after a kid-friendly lunch at Mickey D’s, intent on getting all cold items unpacked and stuffed into the refrigerator at the house before heading out to the Wednesday Aftenoon Chess Club at the new public library on Mason Avenue. I say “new” library not in the sense of the building, which is a grand bank building built in the early 1900’s, most lately inhabited by Bank of America, ( and now owned by the Town thanks to the very affordable terms offered by BOA ), but in the sense that it just become the library. Space to be able to offer chess for kids is just one of the perks of making the building a public building rather than just another retail business as some had hoped. I personally think time will prove that this expenditure by the Town was a brilliant decision.
To Try It Is To Love It— Brown Dog Ice Cream !
But what is located conveniently adjacent to the library, beloved by young and old alike, the perfect after-chess treat ? The Brown Dog Ice Cream Shop, of course, home of made-on-the-premises, good as Haagen Dazs, 6 or more rotating flavors everyday, served in a cup, sugar cone or crunchy waffle cone, delightfully cold, deliciously creamy ice cream. I tried the for- adults-only lemoncello which hit the spot on a warm summer’s day but I must say that Hubby’s coffee ice cream made with the Eastern Shore Roasting Company’s coffee was absolutely wonderful and I don’t even particularly like coffee ice cream ! The kids all had the Simply Berries, full of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, the yummy way to sneak in extra antioxidants. From there it was off to the pool for a couple hours of pure splashing, jumping, laughing fun for the kids and a little relaxation in the shade for us.
Cape Charles Fishing Pier On A Soft Summer’s Eve
Back to the house for a fast, kid- friendly dinner of grilled hamburgers, corn on the cob and salad plus plenty of watermelon for dessert. I think that no fruit says summer better than sweet and juicy chunks of deep red, crisp, ice cold watermelon — unless it’s a tree-ripened, dripping with juice, sweet-as-sugar peach, plucked at the peak of perfection from a tenderly cared for tree at the Nottingham Farms orchard just south of Cape Charles. Anyway, we wanted to get in a walk at sunset and headed for the lighted fishing pier just down from the house. It’s a wonderful facility, stretching out into the Chesapeake Bay quite a ways, protected by a jetty, perfect for a relaxing after-dinner meander, no hurry, enjoying the sights and sounds, watching folks still sitting on the beach or wading in tide pools, just savoring the last few minutes of daylight, boats drifting back into the harbor, sated with a day of fishing, lights on the channel markers blinking red and green, a peaceful end to a busy day. Once back at the house, early lights-out for all in anticipation of a busy morning on the 4th, grandparents definitely tuckered out, grandkids not so much, which I guess proves we’re not spring chickens anymore.
Getting Ready For A Busy Day
Awoke on the 4th to stiffled giggles downstairs, where the kids were trying hard (and almost succeeding) to keep the sound levels to a low roar. A dash for the coffee pot, zip-zip for a breakfast of yogurt and sausage & egg biscuits, then out the door for adventures down the street as the artist’s tents and the bouncy house folks were being set up for what they hoped would be a profitable day. Food vendors were already bustling about, the Italian sausage guys busy slicing up mounds of onions and bell peppers to grill, delicious aromas starting to waft across the sidewalk even at that early hour. We poked our noses into everything, easy to do because we were more or less the first visitors on the scene. The kids got fixated on the possibility of a funnel cake later, I bought a light-weight hat with an amazingly wide brim and the biggest flap down the neck I ever saw, perfect for extra sunburn avoidance. We took a moment to say hi to Billie Crocket, a terrific local carver, and then back to the big front porch to settle down with a tall glass of lemonade awaiting the parade.
And Where Are The Clowns ? Send In The Clowns…
What I have always loved best about the Cape Charles 4th of July Parade is the active participation of so many folks in the Parade itself as well as a great turnout of spectators to cheer them on. Led by the Color Guard from the Cape Charles Coast Guard Station, followed by our first responders– fire truck after tanker truck after ladder truck after ambulance, full of volunteers from Fire and EMT Stations all over Northampton County, giving we the served a chance to cheer and wave to these folks who risk life and limb to help us everyday. And then the long procession, a whole array of organizations from Veterans to the Girl Scouts to the ESO Clown Troupe, followed by the Golf Cart Parade, this year with at least 30 gaily decorated golf carts full of waving people throwing candy to the crowd, followed by the Kid’s Bicycle Parade, with the Horse Parade bringing up the rear. So much participation, so much spirit, a joy to see, no apathy here, we love the Parade and the esprit de corps, it beats slick commercial floats a ten times over.
Cape Charles Harbor At Sunset
After the Parade, a stroll down Bay Avenue, flowing with the crowd, snagging some of those aromatic grilled sausage/onion/bell pepper sandwiches, just generally enjoying the day until time for more splashing & laughing at the pool where one of the mothers took over kid supervision responsibilities and Hubby and I went back to the house for a well-deserved iced tea, just chilling out in an overstuffed chair, newspaper in hand, silently singing the praises of whatever brilliant person invented AC. Evening brought a spectacular sunset and some great “people watching” as still-decorated golf carts cruised merrily up and down the avenue, folks arrived to watch the fireworks from the beach, bikes and joggers silhouetted against a glowing sky of deep pinks and reds. Down at the harbor, white masts contrasted with the midnight blue sky. It was lovely, a truly wonderful day. Yet to come, the fireworks, this year a 30 minute display of grand explosions, a profusion of blazing flower patterns, brilliant petals glowing in bright reds, greens, golds, white. It was awesome ! The kids loved it, we loved it, the crowd loved it, a colorful and exciting end to another great 4th of July in Cape Charles, VA.
Tags: Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Events in Cape Charles, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore