I arrived at Loagy Bay in Wellfleet and spotted dozens of rescue workers about a half-mile into the flats tending to the stranded dolphins. The flat was low-tide, had very little water but was covered in muck and mud. No problemo, I say to myself. What’s a little mud going to do? (Side note: I grew up on the Cape and have rolled around in the worst this peninsula has to offer: hurricanes, noreasters, man-eating marshes…)

Obviously, my Woodward and Bernstein kicked in and I knew I had to rush to the scene for fear of missing out on getting footage on a major story.

At this point I’m wearing black loafers, which are my backup shoes. My primary shoes were temporarily ruined a day earlier as I slogged around a farm with mini-horses and peacocks and poop. Clearly, I was enmeshed in a footwear nightmare.

Back to Loagy Bay. I decide that my slip-on shoes would make it to the scene. Wrong. The first step into the mud was deep and it made a flatulence sound. Next my right foot went in and never came out. I was stuck like in quicksand. I knew my shoes were slowing me down. At that moment I had to make an executive decision.

I ditched my shoes completely and bolted to the dolphin scene in only my white Fruit of the Loom socks. Crazy? Of course. Necessary? You better believe it. Cold feet? My toes hated me then.

“What are you thinking?” several rescue volunteers asked throughout the afternoon. Basically, I have a job to do. I wasn’t going to not cover the event just because I failed to have boots in the car. Also, even the rescuers with heavy boots and waders were falling like dominoes, so I feel like the socked approach gave me better traction anyway. So, Ha! to all of you covered feet folks.

Plus, isn’t getting all wet and muddy in rugged and raw Cape terrain what makes living here so fun?

Just don’t tell my feet that.

Posted by Jason Kolnos

Breathing in all the life at the local farm was really holistic and refreshing after months of winter misery. That’s why we here at CapeCast recommend you all go out this weekend and the ones that follow and hopscotch around to area farms and feel alive again.

Here’s some of our favorite farm locales on Cape Cod:

Taylor-Bray Farm in Yarmouthport — Sure, they’ve got cattle and mini-donkeys. But the view of Cape Cod Bay from Taylor-Bray Farm is stunning and worth the visit alone.

Peterson Farm in Falmouth — This cool farming enclave off the road towards Woods Hole is often teeming with sheep. We hear that the ewes have been popping out baby lambs with some frequency these past couple weeks. Who knows? You might even get to witness a live birth if you stop by.

E&T Farms in West Barnstable — This is an indoor Aquaponics Farm, which grows hydroponic vegetables and fish in recirculating systems for the ornamental water garden, pond stocking and food fish markets. Call ahead for a tour, it’s something you don’t see every day.

Cape Farm and Cranberry Company in Harwich– Learn about what it takes to maintain a cranberry bog and take a gander at cool animals at Leo Cakounes’ farm spot in Harwich. Leo is the grand sage of Cape Cod farming, so feel free to pick his brain for all sorts of agriculture goodness. It’s a great place to take the family on a nice day.

Clearly, the hottest new statuette this awards season is the Clammy–a sleek and silvery shell that was given to ten of the top short filmmakers around the region who participated in the four-month long One-Minute Movie Contest.

Friday night’s first ever Clammy Awards ceremony at the Cape Cod Community Media Center would have blown away even the coolest Academy Awards party. We featured a chocolate fountain, mounted shellfish and a guy who was interviewed by a baby with a beard.

We offered up seven superlative awards and three Grand Prizes to some of the Cape’s best filmmaking talent. Thanks everybody for participating and don’t forget to watch all the videos at capecodonline.com/oneminutemovie.

And tune into today’s CapeCast episode for a video highlight real of this one-of-a-kind ceremony.

The conditions here on the outskirts of Cold Storage Beach – at the mouth to Sesuit Harbor – feel like a winter northeaster. The wind gusts of over 50 mph are almost preventing us from using our cameras. It’s bad, man.

But the stormy weather hasn’t stopped dozens of beach troopers from around the Cape from coming to take a peek. Granted, you can probably stand to be outside for only a few minutes, but the sights are evocative.

The image of a huge, hulking vessel teetering on the edge of a breakwater is the cape at its most raw.

Get out here and check it out! And tune into Friday’s CapeCast for interviews with folks who decided to brave the cold for a view of this vessel.

Ok, so we’re several years behind. But CapeCast will soon start tweeting fresh nuggets of Cape Cod gold from our adventures around the peninsula. And we revamped our site with a hot new ocean background thanks to our awesome intern Jenna Pizzi. Do you all dig it?

(Drumroll please) Here’s our address below:

www.twitter.com/capecast

In addition to tasty Tweets from the scene, we will continue to offer up Tweets every time a new episode of CapeCast is posted online at capecod0nline.com. And don’t forget to check out our new CapeCast homepage (www.capecast.com) as well, featuring blogs, CapeCast specific photo galleries and the one-of-a-kind musical jukebox.

So bookmark us on your mobile phone Twitter apps, tell your friends to follow us and fire away any thoughts, questions or ideas.  Let the CapeCast Twittervolution begin!

Well if you’re like CapeCast, you’ll spend most of the season filling your tummies with adult beverages and zombiely watching DVR’d television like Lost, Idol, Glee, 24, Flashforward and Fringe.

But those with more productive lives can follow our zany tips on how to survive until the summer:

Dollar bowling– Both the Ryan’s Family Amusements in South Yarmouth and Hyannis host one-dollar bowling nights Monday-Thurs during the offseason. It’s a great way to kill three hours and only $5.

Macrame: Did you know that this terrific textile-making method was first used in the 13th century in the Arab world? Well, wow your loved ones with such homemaking trivia and try your hand at creating a knotted owl or something.

Take advantage of food specials — There are tons of restaurants that offer insanely cheap happy hour food specials during the offseason, such as Jason’s Tavern in Dennis. Other specials–like half-priced tapas at Embargo in Hyannis or buy-one-get-one-free pizza deals at Ardeo on Tuesdays are gastronomic delights.

Helping others — Ugghh, that selflessness thing always comes back around to bite ya. Sure you could volunteer with the homeless or read stories to the elderly. Or if you’re like CapeCast, take great pride in  “waving” other motorists into lanes and letting them go ahead of you. Are you noticing, St. Pete?

Wax your mailbox — Nothing spells Spring like a freshly buffed mail receptacle. Imagine the smile on your mail carrier’s face as as Spring rains bead up and roll off your mailbox effortlessly, reducing CMS, cuff moisture syndrome.

FOX-TV Photo

Siobhan Magnus will certainly be around American Idol for a while.

The talented contestant from Cape Cod showed off her amazing pipes and unbelievable vocal control during her rendition of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” last night. The performance was nearly flawless and Magnus clearly set herself apart from the pack of female singers–most of whom offered listless and uninspiring vocal routines.

It was really the first time Siobhan had a chance to shine solo on live TV in front of the judges, who seemed generally impressed with the 19-year-old’s sound and range of her voice. Some of the judges though, including Simon Cowell, took issue with Magnus’s dark and dirge-like song choice.

We here at CapeCast have to agree. Magnus’s forte is obviously her tremendous ability to belt out the big and high notes. So why not introduce yourself to the world with a show-stopping number? While the song is a classic, it’s hard to imagine “Wicked Game” inspiring wows from a crowd in any performance.

Magnus’s hip, alterna-punk girl look is super cool and that will bode well for her as the voting public often has a soft-spot for wallflowers. She even has a rad Edward Gorey tattoo, a shout-out to the late Cape goth author icon. Her unique style and personality goes to show that Magnus won’t be the cliche packaged pop princess that “Idol” likely desires. Good for her, we say.

Magnus’s lone piece of kryptonite seems to be that her song choice doesn’t match her personality and talent. She’s definitely not a Christina Aguilera type, so we should rule out sugary pop.  We’d like her to sing a tune that will blow people away. Perhaps something from the big sounds of the 80s–Heart, Pat Benetar, Joan Jett, Patty Smyth or even Journey. Imagine how amazing she’d be on something like “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’”?

It was only her first performance, but Siobhan Magnus already has a lot of people talking.

Great Britain curlers Euan Byers, left, and Pete Smith sweep in a round robin session 1 loss to Sweden at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Feb. 16. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Curling is the average fat man’s last chance for Olympic glory.

You can be old and lumpy and still win gold–if your aim is true.

I watch it and think, “give me a broom!” See you in Sochi!

- Posted by Eric Williams

- – - – - – - – - – -

I don’t ski. Never have. Never will.

So the very notion of anyone strapping a pair of skis on their feet and hurtling down a steep hill at speeds I wouldn’t drive in my car, just makes my mind shake and fill with tiny snow crystals like a loony snow globe.

- Posted by Gregory Bryant

It’s also like Christmas for car dealers. So we’re delving into our quirky imaginations for thoughts about what some Presidents would drive if they were alive. What do you think?

Abe Lincoln — This level-headed thinker may want something practical like a Honda Civic. But his head would probably stick out the sunroof because he’s so darn tall–plus that ridiculous hat!

Howard Taft – This portly Prez needs legroom (and rump-room!) so we assume Taft would go for an oversized SUV like a big Jeep Grand Cherokee. Or a schoolbus.

Calvin Coolidge – This penny-pincher would likely drive something affordable, like a used mule.

Andrew Jackson – Old Hickory  oozed machismo, so he’d likely sport a muscle car with a spittoon instead of a cup-holder! Ptttooooeeeyyy!!!

Bill Clinton  – “Hey good-looking–I’ll be back to pick you up later!” Can you see “Slick Willy” in anything less than a little red Corvette? (Yes, we realize he’s still alive but how can you resist a dig on ole’ Bill?)

Teddy Roosevelt — TR was green in the sense that he was in favor of the National Parks. He was also a big game hunter. How about a green car, like a Toyota Prius hybrid, with real leopard skin upholstery?

Jackson the three-legged cat

CapeCast is saddened to learn that Jackson, a three-legged cat, went missing three weeks ago from his home in Bourne.

Will you help find him?

His owner, Mike Lewandowski, is hoping someone from the public will spot him and help return Jackson home.

Here’s more details about the cat from Mike: He is all black with green eyes and is missing his back right leg. He is very friendly and loving, although when outside he is a little shy to strangers. He is very vocal and would often great people with a couple meows. Despite missing his leg he is very mobile and occasionally would sprint around and climb in trees.  Some of his favorite things are: catnip, play toys and naps with his family and friends (usually enjoyed in that order).

If you spot Jackson, please email Mike at MLewandowski@acciusa.com