My very favorite thing about being in Cape May is the sycamore trees. I walk every day along streets lined with Victorian homes and dancing sycamores in the median strips. I had been quite anxious about these trees through Hurricane Sandy. I was relieved to find them all standing when I returned to Cape May in December. (Small potatoes, I know, in the context, but small things make me grateful.)

My first time I didn't have time to paint them at all, but I had a little more personal time built into the schedule this go-round, so I spent most of it drawing and walking among the trees.

These trees look a bit Seussian to me, and I decided this trip that when I get to the point where my body is adding odd folds and bumps, I'm going to try to see it as my transformation into a beautiful sycamore instead of ugly old age. (We'll see how that goes...)

Many of these trees reside on Hughes Street, my favorite street in Cape May. I'm grateful to Jessica Scott, a life-long Cape Mayer, for sending me there, knowing my love for trees. Here's a larger overview of a whole flock of trees in front of a lovely 1840's or so home.

And I think the trees love me too. I found numerous hearts on them, as if they were just waiting for me to walk by, touch them, and find those hearts.