Cape Cod

Hi Puzzlers,

I am just getting back from one of my favorite places on the planet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I just love it! There is so much to do! If you like shopping and antiquing they have it. If you are a foodie like me, they have a huge variety of restaurants to choose from. I just found this incredible Italian restaurant called Gerardi’s Cafe and let me say it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had! Yummy- just typing this has my tummy growling for more.

Cape Cod also has many outdoor activities available to visitors. There’s fishing, boating trips, kayaking and canoeing, both in the ocean and on several of the fresh water kettle ponds which can be found all around the Cape. If you love to camp my recommendation would be the Nickerson State Park campground as it is near the bike trails.

Biking is my favorite thing to do on the Cape. Yes, I’m a biker but not the motorized kind, though a ride along 6A on a motorcycle is highly recommended, I pedal my bike along the glorious trails of the Cape. “The Cape Cod Rail Trail follows a former railroad right-of-way for 22 miles through the towns of Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet. Its paved surface, few hills, and well-marked automobile crossings make it ideal for cyclists. The trail has a wide unpaved shoulder on one side to accommodate horseback riding, walkers, and runners.” Of course I over indulged and my legs are still a little sore, but it was well worth it!

I had to remove the poster and puzzle of Cape Cod I had in my office as I kept getting distracted. Oh was that the sound of the ocean or the ring of a bicycle bell? This puzzle is a wonderful keepsake or tour guide for this awesome vacation destination.

Happy Puzzling!

Space Shuttle

Hi Puzzlers,

We have a great new puzzle by Mark Karvon titled “Space Shuttle” and I have to say it is one of my favorites. As a kid growing up I was a big Star Trek fan and I still am. Once a trekkie always a trekkie! I spent many nights watching Captain Kirk, Spock and the crew, explore the universe. I was fully immersed in the scenes, imagining I was on the other planets investigating aliens as a member of the crew. I continued my space odyssey with the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine (DS9) and Voyager, which finally had a woman captain, Captain Kathryn Janeway! Shows like this really do take you away from it all!

I feel fortunate that space travel began during my lifetime. NASA and its scientists have definitely begun to “boldly go where no other has gone before” and have allowed us to learn so much about space. Just think- we thought Pluto was a planet all this time and it is actual a dwarf planet! And, just recently, what about that rogue satellite-Galaxy 15, which lost contact with ground control after a solar flare probably fried its brain. Not to worry- it is on a course to interfere with satellites that transmit to Luxemburg. Sorry Luxemburg - no TV for a few nights!

Luckily for us, astronauts on the Space Shuttle perform several different types of jobs in space. Their duties include work for the military, private and business sectors, as well as building, maintaining and repairing of the International Space Station (ISS). We may need to add chasing rogue satellites to this list soon.

“The launching, repairing and maintenance duties for objects like the Hubble Telescope, as well as military and commercial satellites, are carried out as needed.” Only trained astronauts are able to leave the shuttle and perform space walks. Without question, the riskiest and most specialized job that an astronaut can do in space is space walking, otherwise known as EVA or Extra Vehicular Activity.”

I would have liked to say that I am adventurous enough to have been one of the first astronauts but, truth be told, I’m not. I am so grateful to all the brave souls that have been the first to boldly go where no human has gone before and I feel privileged to watch all of their triumphs.

Happy Puzzling!

Meet Artist Fred Swan

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist Fred Swan. Fred lives in Vermont and graduated from the United States Naval Academy. He is a self-taught artist who works exclusively with acrylic paints. For over 30 years Fred has been developing his own unique style, all while teaching high school mathematics. Since retiring from teaching in 2000, Fred paints full time in his studio in Vermont.

Due to the length of time necessary to complete each piece (500 hours on average), he is often unable to fill the demand for his work. . Each image is richly rural, a way of life experienced by few but fondly remembered by many. These qualities have earned Swan a lofty reputation as one of our nation’s finest landscape artists. Fred's paintings are highly commercial and have been adapted for calendars and jigsaw puzzles and are sold as prints.

"Fred Swan's paintings are found in many public and private collections including those of Johnson & Johnson, Malcolm Forbes, and the Vermont Council on the Arts. He is a winner of the 1979 Saturday Evening Post Cover Contest, and his work has been featured in many national publications, including Yankee Magazine and Vermont life.”

Thanks Fred - your beautiful paintings make great puzzles!

Happy Puzzling!

P.S. Sorry puzzlers, we had technical difficulties with Fred's image and we will post it as it becomes available.