SANDWICH, MA

People struggle for control of a greased watermelon in Cape Cod Bay.

SANDWICH, MA

Bonfires on Sandwich Beach before fireworks on July 4, 2011.

SANDWICH, MA

A woman laughs during a shaving cream fight on Sandwich Beach.

SANDWICH, MA

Jos Schermerhorn poses with her backyard herb garden.

PROVINCETOWN, MA

Main thoroughfare.

PROVINCETOWN, MA

A dog looks out from a window atop a pub.

PROVINCETOWN, MA

A jewelry shop sign informs customers about its dog policy.

Cape Cod is the easternmost section of Massachusetts and is known locally as simply the Cape. It’s also a place that’s near and dear to my heart. I’ve visited the Cape every summer since I was born and I refer to it as my northern home. My father grew up in Sandwich, MA, and his brother still resides in the same beach neighborhood they grew up in.

The Cape is a popular tourist destination but it maintains a vibrant sense of community that goes back generations. From the town of Sandwich located mid-Cape to Provincetown at the very tip of the state, family and tradition run strong and true.