The Schmoopies Say "50 is Nifty!!!"

The Schmoopies at Scargo Tower

No - we're not referring to our ages! We're talking about those 50+ boxes we found last weekend at the Cape as The Schmoopies boxed for a long weekend that featured friendship, fabulous weather and 5o+ finds!

Friday found us at Rabbit Tracks' Fairyopolis series. This is an enchanting, artfully-carved series that captured our imagination. It was a great way to begin the weekend! From here we traveled to another Rabbit Tracks series - the whimsical Hanna Barbera Series that brought us all back to our youth and those wonderful Saturday mornings spent around the TV! The clues are very unique and we really enjoyed finding the boxes even though we started in the wrong direction and missed a box! But doubling back brought us to our missing character.


Another Schmoopie Shot by the sea

Next we headed out to Sandi's Diner in Chatham where we refreshed ourselves with a cold drink and Chunna's great box located there! From there, the group headed to Chatham Light where the group would hunt for LoneMassWolf's box there, which Sue & I had found years previous. After searching for a while, we came up boxless but the warmth of the spot and the scenic view was not lost on The Schmoopies. We used this wonderful location for a bite of lunch and a Schmoopie Kodak moment!

With stomaches full, our logbooks were next! Next stop - Candy Land - CapeCodLetterboxer's series for kids of all ages! Sue squealed with joy as we moved across the "playing board" as we made our way from character to character - some we remembered; others we didn't; but all wonderfully carved.

As daylight began to wane, we quickly got to one of the locations of Chunna's musical series, Strike Up the Band. Box 1 was found in the setting sunlight. Box 2 was found by flashlight and Box 3 wasn't found at all in pitch darkness and a flashlight and lantern. The next day, in the daylight, we discovered why. The box was left out in the open, strewn on the ground, about 4 to 5 feet away from it's resting place. Needless to say, The Schmoopies left that box much better than we found it! We're getting ahead of ourselves but we finished this series over the weekend and even managed to find that pesky, evil band leader! Nice job, Chunna! This is a series of note - get it???

Earlier in the week, Cape Cod Lightnin' Bug posted that their night Haunted Halloween series would be pulled on Halloween. Well, that morning I sent a hastily put together email asking Mary for a favor. She quickly agreed to leave the series up throughout the weekend and it seems several of you made your way to their front yard in those post Halloween nights.


Pumpkins carved by Archimedes' Screw


A Gorey closeup of our favorite

To say this series of 13 boxes was fun is an understatement. CCLB and Archimedes' Screw came out to meet the rest of The Schmoops and said we were working pretty quickly at finding the boxes but with a group of 6 the task seemed easy! And we discovered that Screw cannot only carve beautiful stamps but beautiful pumpkins as well. CCLB told us that Screw discovered she could carve detail into the pumpkins using her stamp carving tools. As you can see - the detail is terrific as were all of the 13 stamps hidden there! Mary told us that the previous week a camper trailer pulled up in front of their yard with California license plates. The couple was headed home after an extended vacation and just had to stop in and get the boxes! If this is offered next year, you must try to make this event. We oohed and aahed at each and every stamp. With all 13 boxes haunting our logbooks, we then headed to Captain Parkers Restaurant, as suggested by Screw; still amazed at the 35 boxes we had found that day and the quality of all of the carvings. Over the best clam chowda we've ever had and a clam strip dinner and a drink, the Schmoopies ended a perfect Cape day (and night!)

Saturday found us still talking about the artistry of the boxes. First stop of the day was a series that I still can't believe was hand carved. Alice in Orleans, by Archimedes' Screw is one of our most favorite series ever! We can't stress enough the quality and the detail of each and every stamp! You must get this series! I venture to say that Screw is probably one of the top 3 carvers in the country. Her talents are simply not to be believed. After Alice, we visited the balance of Chunna's Band. We then returned to our home-away-from-home for a leisurely evening with The Schmoops.


View from Scargo Tower

Sunday was time to say goodbye to the rock but not before we found Chunna's band leader. We also stopped at the newly replaced Scargo Tower box that originally belonged to Headless Horseman and was recarved and replanted with permission by CapeCodLetterboxer. We climbed the tower and took a few pictures. Our last Cape box was Headless Horseman's Ghost Train. As we drove off of the Cape, we stopped for lunch canal-side to take a few more pictures before heading home.


An uninvited luncheon guest


We bid farewell to the Cape - but certainly not for long!
Thanks Capers!