Jeremy showed up for comic relief.
We are still here after like three hours.
Help.
We are in moving day hell.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Summer Afternoon?
What is the best way to spend a summer afternoon in late August?
Answer? See image at right.
What is the not so best way?
Answer? Moving furniture form one home to another. Ugh!
It is moving day for Patrick and Tina. And the family is being mobilized because that's how we roll!
Hopefully, we will be able to minimize injuries--the team is not as young as it used to be.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Riding the Rails to D.C.
I took a half-day off Wednesday to take Ethan, along with Chris, into D.C. to do something I always love doing--visiting the museums.
The national museums are free--and so the only cost is getting there--a metro ride, which by comparison for the traffic it avoids is really pretty inexpensive.
A five year-old in a museum is an experience.
It is pretty much point and shoot--see something and look at it then move on.
It takes a bit to get into it and then you can really get going. Ethan seemed to like the movies a lot--where he could watch what was being presented. Although he did appreciate the dinosaurs and the animals. He spent some time playing with the ancestors, too.
I've been to the museums so much, I pretty well have the big exhibits memorized--but I still love looking at the airplanes in the Air and Space Museum.
After Ethan bored with the Natural History Museum, we had some ice cream, shopped till he dropped in the museum stores and then it was off to the National Air & Space Museum. Yay!!!!
We were incredibly lucky to miss getting dumped on by the rain which came down in buckets just as we walked into the Air & Space Museum.
Of course, since he was already tired this museum went by much too fast--but that was O.K. because it was his day! I think he enjoyed the Skylab space station the most--although the exploration of the planets was right up there.
And then, except for the ride home--that afternoon was done. Although we had to navigate the rush hour mess--we did O.K.
Well worth the effort and twice the fun.
That was a day to remember.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dino-riffic
Scary.
And then I lost them both, I hope they are together. I'd hate for them to become Dino food.
Rain, Dark, and Cool
I figured out what it is I don't appreciate about August: rainy, dark, cool days.
The rain really dampens my spirits, although I was able to turn off the sprinkler system which kept the gardens alive, barely, during the scorching heat of July. The rain is here and really coming down as the cooler weather bumps against the humid heat we have been experiencing.
The high for today (Wednesday) is only supposed to be 77 degrees. Cool compared to the 99's of jsut a few short weeks ago.
While we were in Ithaca over the weekend, there was a smattering of 50's in the hills and Ieven saw some early signs of autumn in some of the stressed trees and bushes.
And this morning I noticed that it was dark again--no dawn in sight, as I let the dog out for her moning business. I paused for a sad moment to consider what this means. Of course I was also listening to the raindrops splat against the front walk and encouraging the dog to get her feet wet at the same time--so it wasn't much more than a passing thought.
August, at least the last half, seems to segway into September.
I am reminded of a Paul Simon song--April, Come She Will and the last verse being:
I feel as if Paul got it right. My love affair with summer--is becoming old and gives way into the autumn.
But the darkness is creeping across the area again. The hours of light are shorter--by almost 3 minutes every day now.
August, then can be reduced to three things--Rain, Dark, and Cool.
Sadly--
The rain really dampens my spirits, although I was able to turn off the sprinkler system which kept the gardens alive, barely, during the scorching heat of July. The rain is here and really coming down as the cooler weather bumps against the humid heat we have been experiencing.
The high for today (Wednesday) is only supposed to be 77 degrees. Cool compared to the 99's of jsut a few short weeks ago.
While we were in Ithaca over the weekend, there was a smattering of 50's in the hills and Ieven saw some early signs of autumn in some of the stressed trees and bushes.
And this morning I noticed that it was dark again--no dawn in sight, as I let the dog out for her moning business. I paused for a sad moment to consider what this means. Of course I was also listening to the raindrops splat against the front walk and encouraging the dog to get her feet wet at the same time--so it wasn't much more than a passing thought.
August, at least the last half, seems to segway into September.
I am reminded of a Paul Simon song--April, Come She Will and the last verse being:
August, die she must
The autumn winds blow chilly and cold
September I'll remember
A love once new has now grown old
I feel as if Paul got it right. My love affair with summer--is becoming old and gives way into the autumn.
But the darkness is creeping across the area again. The hours of light are shorter--by almost 3 minutes every day now.
August, then can be reduced to three things--Rain, Dark, and Cool.
Sadly--
Up in the Air
Sometimes, things are not what they seem.
Usually, when a loud noise is heard in the air I can usually correctly identify it as a jet, or a propeller driven airplane, or a helicopter.
When I was a lot younger--I could often even determine the type of aircraft it was--although those were usually military aircraft. The venerable C-5A has a distinctive sound as does the B-52G.
On this day, I could not identify the air vehicle. I was snorkeling about 100 yards off the beach and I looked up to see the Goodyear Blimp. For real, slowly, and almost gracefully flying overhead.
I kind of wished that I could have just stood and watched it, but as I was in about 10 feet of water, that wasn't going to happen. So I snapped a couple of pictures with my now dead camera, to remember the moment and then went back to looking at the fishes.
I had forgotten that a blimp is based in Miami--and so while it was unusual to see one, it was not something highly out of the ordinary for the area.
I was happy to be in the water snorkeling.
But I still think about flying, sometimes.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
More government in our lives is not the answer? Really?
I was reading through the blogs and papers yesterday about the economy and the dilemma that we seem to find ourselves in.
I came away from reading some of the articles believing that bigger government is not having the desired impact on the economy..
Hmmmm!
I think I have heard that somewhere before when a new president took the reigns of a crumbling economy--and then he turned it around.
I was reading an article on FoxBusiness.com about another coming stimulus package and had my eyes opened about the current situation. The article was titled "Watch Out, More Government 'Stimulus' is Coming!"
Really--I feel pretty stimulated already. I sure don't have much more to spend, but I am stimulated.
FoxBusiness made the following statement: "The folks in the White House are true believers. They really believed that bigger government could solve our economic problems."
And then they went on to write about how the White House needs a radical solution, but that Fox was proposing a different kind of radical--that in the form of Ronald Reagan. They wrote: "Most of all, Reagan had the same radical view of government that our founders had: That government is the problem, not the solution; that policies should be developed to keep government out of our lives, not give government control over our lives; that the way to turn our economy and our spirits around was to put our faith in the individual, not the state."
Of course, anyone who knows me knows that President Ronald Reagan is one of my heroes. He was a man who could help me see his vision. He had a vision for America, and he had a way of sharing that vision so that common people like me could understand it.
I remember the labels of "voodoo economics" which were slapped on his policies.
But you know what--his policies worked. This country went from double digit inflation, yes, I bought a house once with a mortgage interest rate of 11.75 percent and thought I had received a good deal, to single digit manageable inflation,. Not like the deflation we are experiencing now, but an economic recovery that sustained this country and the entire world for over 20 years.
President Reagan made the following statement in his Second Inaugural Address:
"There are no limits to growth and human progress when men and women are free to follow their dreams."
Fox Business wrote this about Reagan in closing the article:
"That's the kind of radical vision we need now. Not one based on models that failed us in the '30s, but based on the policies that turned our economy and our spirits around in the '80s."
I came away from reading some of the articles believing that bigger government is not having the desired impact on the economy..
Hmmmm!
I think I have heard that somewhere before when a new president took the reigns of a crumbling economy--and then he turned it around.
I was reading an article on FoxBusiness.com about another coming stimulus package and had my eyes opened about the current situation. The article was titled "Watch Out, More Government 'Stimulus' is Coming!"
Really--I feel pretty stimulated already. I sure don't have much more to spend, but I am stimulated.
FoxBusiness made the following statement: "The folks in the White House are true believers. They really believed that bigger government could solve our economic problems."
And then they went on to write about how the White House needs a radical solution, but that Fox was proposing a different kind of radical--that in the form of Ronald Reagan. They wrote: "Most of all, Reagan had the same radical view of government that our founders had: That government is the problem, not the solution; that policies should be developed to keep government out of our lives, not give government control over our lives; that the way to turn our economy and our spirits around was to put our faith in the individual, not the state."
Of course, anyone who knows me knows that President Ronald Reagan is one of my heroes. He was a man who could help me see his vision. He had a vision for America, and he had a way of sharing that vision so that common people like me could understand it.
I remember the labels of "voodoo economics" which were slapped on his policies.
But you know what--his policies worked. This country went from double digit inflation, yes, I bought a house once with a mortgage interest rate of 11.75 percent and thought I had received a good deal, to single digit manageable inflation,. Not like the deflation we are experiencing now, but an economic recovery that sustained this country and the entire world for over 20 years.
President Reagan made the following statement in his Second Inaugural Address:
"There are no limits to growth and human progress when men and women are free to follow their dreams."
Fox Business wrote this about Reagan in closing the article:
"That's the kind of radical vision we need now. Not one based on models that failed us in the '30s, but based on the policies that turned our economy and our spirits around in the '80s."
I guess I am not ready to say that economic stimulus has not worked, but it sure seems to have made a few people rich--and those people were the cause of the problems in the first place. And the rest of us are going to be left with higher tax bills to show for the government's intervention into the economy.
It is almost like a dream come true. Oops, sorry, a nightmare.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday Musings - August 16, 2010
1. Drove to Ithaca and back for the weekend. Long drive, especially in the rain yesterday. A convertible is just another car on the road in the rain.
2. We let the GPS find the shortest route to my parents house as we were coming in from a different direction and although we knew the roads pretty well we totally forgot--there are still dirt roads in upstate New York.
3. August is a funny month--it was chilly in NY and hot here in MD. We were surprised how cool it was just a couple hours away--even as we were returning yesterday, it was a lot cooler in York, PA than here in MD.
4. Something tells me it's all happening at the zoo. I'm glad some people can still find fun in the attractions that surround us.
Jeremy and Lucas sure seemed to be having a good time.5. Makayla has become a great traveler. She especially likes riding in Cat with the top down and she puts her nose in the air.
6. The pool really got hammered during the storms--it is amazing how much work a few thunderstorms can cause--despite the good they do with the rain which refreshed the land.
7. The O's had a bad weekend--they lost 2 of 3 to the Rays. But they played tough! And they are 9-4 so far for August, which is a winning record.
8. Someone said something about football season. Do people really get excited about preseason scores? Really--come on. Wait a month till the real season begins.
9. Does anything feel better than sleeping in your own bed after a trip?
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Butterflies on the Wing
They reminded me of the summer and the joys and smells of the heat and the trees baking in the summer sun
As it was the start of the weekend, they really made me take notice and appreciate the fun they were having.
We planted a butterfly bush this year. Maybe we will have even more next year.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Looking Up From My Pool
The other evening, as twilight fell over the house, I went out to the pool to relax for a few minutes after a rough day. I did not even take a glass of wine with me--I just changed into my swim suit and went to the pool to relax.
The air was heavy and humid. That summertime kind of air that lets you know it is there. So heavy it does not even carry the fragrances of the flowers with it.
The pool and the air temperature were nearly the same, yet even so, laying on my floatie it was relaxing and serene.
There was no wind.
I leaned back on my floatie as far as I could and looked up into the darkening sky to see my friends--the bats, maybe as many as 10 of them, maneuvering through the air to reduce the ever growing mosquito population.
I watched the bats dance in the air for a long time--mesmerized by the patterns they flew and awed by the ballet playing out before my eyes.
In summers past, occasionally one of them would swoop down and skim the surface of the pool for a drink of water, but not tonight--the mosquitoes were higher up and that is where these stealthy hunters stayed.
I longed to dance in the air like the bats. It reminded me of when I used to think I wanted to fly jet fighters and scream off into the sky like a modern knight on his steed armed long-range lances slung under each wing.
But, here I was, enjoying their winged dance. Relaxing in my pool--which is one of my favorite places.
And then--in the ever darkening sky--there it was. A solitary point of light that just pushed its way into my vision.
I thought of the saying--
"Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish I wish tonight."
And I could not think of anything to wish for.
Another star poked its way through the ever darkening sky and broke off my thought. I noticed again the bats, and the ever growing number of stars and I began to paddle to the side of the pool because I remembered I had things to accomplish before the night was fully upon me.
But my time alone in the heavy, still summer air watching the bats and noticing the stars is something I will remember for a long time.
The air was heavy and humid. That summertime kind of air that lets you know it is there. So heavy it does not even carry the fragrances of the flowers with it.
The pool and the air temperature were nearly the same, yet even so, laying on my floatie it was relaxing and serene.
There was no wind.
I leaned back on my floatie as far as I could and looked up into the darkening sky to see my friends--the bats, maybe as many as 10 of them, maneuvering through the air to reduce the ever growing mosquito population.
I watched the bats dance in the air for a long time--mesmerized by the patterns they flew and awed by the ballet playing out before my eyes.
In summers past, occasionally one of them would swoop down and skim the surface of the pool for a drink of water, but not tonight--the mosquitoes were higher up and that is where these stealthy hunters stayed.
I longed to dance in the air like the bats. It reminded me of when I used to think I wanted to fly jet fighters and scream off into the sky like a modern knight on his steed armed long-range lances slung under each wing.
But, here I was, enjoying their winged dance. Relaxing in my pool--which is one of my favorite places.
And then--in the ever darkening sky--there it was. A solitary point of light that just pushed its way into my vision.
I thought of the saying--
"Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish I wish tonight."
And I could not think of anything to wish for.
Another star poked its way through the ever darkening sky and broke off my thought. I noticed again the bats, and the ever growing number of stars and I began to paddle to the side of the pool because I remembered I had things to accomplish before the night was fully upon me.
But my time alone in the heavy, still summer air watching the bats and noticing the stars is something I will remember for a long time.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Remember? It was Bad!
I was going through my images from winter yesterday and ran across this one. It reminded me of how bad it really was during the middle of the snowpocalypse.
Bad.
Nothing but snow and cold as far as could be seen.
No travel.
No sun.
Nothing except dreaming of a warm beach somewhere.
Thank you for summer!!
I love summer and the beach and the salty air. And the heat.
Bring it on it is so much better.
Washing off at the beach after a morning of fun in the surf and the sun.
Sleeping the afternoon away to get ready for the evening of more beach time and looking for turtles laying their eggs.
Swatting mosquitos and wondering where the dragonflies are.
Really--don't rush summer's ending. The alternative is just too cold to imagine and it will be here soon enough. Coats, gloves, boots and the ever present cold.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Charleston Restaurant: Dinner for a Really Special Anniversary
Chris and I, upon the recommendation of Mike and Nicole, decided to do something really special for our anniversary dinner. Something even a bit over the top for us. We decided to eat at restaurant which earned four of five number 1's in the current Zagat rating--Charleston.
We had a 6:30pm reservation, which is early, but it allowed us to enjoy an unhurried evening which did not end until after 9:00pm at the restaurant.
The restaurant is fabulous and opulent. We were greeted by the valet to park our car and there the experience began. Everything was top notch and first class. We enjoyed some time together in the bar, sipping some champagne to begin our unhurried dining experience. A high point that happened right there, in the bar, was that the staff recognized that Chris was cold and they offered her a wrap to improve her enjoyment of the evening.
From there, we were ushered to our table. There were apologies that our table request could not be accommodated due to a small function in that room, but the table offered in the wine room was more than adequate--and perhaps even better given our early hour.
We chose the "The Season" from the menu and the wine pairings. We were just too overwhelmed on our first visit to try to develop our own unique menu for the evening. What we had provided a good sampling of the menu items. And in our case this was a seafood themed meal which was very well paired with some excellent wines.
The meal--served in courses consisted of:
Rich Lobster Soup with Curry accompanied by Amontillado Viejo, Byass "Del Duque"
Local Heirloom Tomato Salad, Warm Goat’s Cheese Medallion, served with Sportoletti Rosé, Mas de La Dame (Les Baux de Provence) 2009
Jumbo Lump Crabcake, English Peas, Roasted Sweet Corn, Mustard Cream Chardonnay, accompanied by Dehlinger "Un-Filtered" (Russian River Valley) 2006
Pan-Roasted Halibut, Grilled Local Baby Squash, Creole Sauce Valtellina Superiore, wi.JPG)
th Conti Sertoli Salis "Sassella" (Lombardia) 2006
Stilton – cow’s milk, blue, creamy, rich, mildly spicy (Nottinghamshire, UK) and topped off by being served with Heitz Cellars Port "Ink Grade" (Napa Valley) NV
finally,
Local Blackberries & Madeira Sabayon
Fabulous. Each course was perfectly cooked and expertly served in gourmet style. The portions were just the right size--not too much and not too little. The wine pours were also perfectly matched to the course.
They also added a small pastry platter for dessert and a melon starter that I never really understood exactly what it was composed of--but suffice it to say, it too was awesome.
In the end, I did not want for more--except more of the atmosphere and the ambiance which in the wine room was absolutely perfect. The wait staff led by the Captain, Ryan, were spectacular and attended to our needs before we even realized we had them.
Cost? Well, it is not for the faint of heart. It is well worth it, but I have had complete meals for four for less than what I left as a tip.
Will I return? You bet! I am a definite fan.
We had a 6:30pm reservation, which is early, but it allowed us to enjoy an unhurried evening which did not end until after 9:00pm at the restaurant.
The restaurant is fabulous and opulent. We were greeted by the valet to park our car and there the experience began. Everything was top notch and first class. We enjoyed some time together in the bar, sipping some champagne to begin our unhurried dining experience. A high point that happened right there, in the bar, was that the staff recognized that Chris was cold and they offered her a wrap to improve her enjoyment of the evening.
From there, we were ushered to our table. There were apologies that our table request could not be accommodated due to a small function in that room, but the table offered in the wine room was more than adequate--and perhaps even better given our early hour.
We chose the "The Season" from the menu and the wine pairings. We were just too overwhelmed on our first visit to try to develop our own unique menu for the evening. What we had provided a good sampling of the menu items. And in our case this was a seafood themed meal which was very well paired with some excellent wines.
The meal--served in courses consisted of:
Rich Lobster Soup with Curry accompanied by Amontillado Viejo, Byass "Del Duque"
Local Heirloom Tomato Salad, Warm Goat’s Cheese Medallion, served with Sportoletti Rosé, Mas de La Dame (Les Baux de Provence) 2009
Jumbo Lump Crabcake, English Peas, Roasted Sweet Corn, Mustard Cream Chardonnay, accompanied by Dehlinger "Un-Filtered" (Russian River Valley) 2006
Pan-Roasted Halibut, Grilled Local Baby Squash, Creole Sauce Valtellina Superiore, wi
.JPG)
th Conti Sertoli Salis "Sassella" (Lombardia) 2006Stilton – cow’s milk, blue, creamy, rich, mildly spicy (Nottinghamshire, UK) and topped off by being served with Heitz Cellars Port "Ink Grade" (Napa Valley) NV
finally,
Local Blackberries & Madeira Sabayon
Fabulous. Each course was perfectly cooked and expertly served in gourmet style. The portions were just the right size--not too much and not too little. The wine pours were also perfectly matched to the course.
They also added a small pastry platter for dessert and a melon starter that I never really understood exactly what it was composed of--but suffice it to say, it too was awesome.
In the end, I did not want for more--except more of the atmosphere and the ambiance which in the wine room was absolutely perfect. The wait staff led by the Captain, Ryan, were spectacular and attended to our needs before we even realized we had them.
Cost? Well, it is not for the faint of heart. It is well worth it, but I have had complete meals for four for less than what I left as a tip.
Will I return? You bet! I am a definite fan.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Lights of Land and Life
Sometimes I read things that really get my mind turning. Good stories about things that turned out well. But I wind up with so many questions.
Today I invite you to read a news item I read yesterday.
It is titled: Three Boaters Rescued after Three Days Lost at Sea. It is a CNN news item.
(CNN) -- Three boaters in South Florida have made it back to worried friends and family on dry land, three days after they went missing when their 32-foot boat broke down during what was supposed to be a one-day fishing trip 20 miles off of West Palm Beach.
The trio -- identified as John Land, 48, David Blakeney, 39, and Kevin Wood, 45, all from the local area -- and their disabled boat, named the Shade Maker, were spotted Saturday night by a U.S. Navy frigate 85 miles east of Jacksonville, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
None of the men was injured, and their craft was towed to shore in a joint effort between the Navy frigate and the Coast Guard, arriving in Mayport, Florida, overnight Saturday.
Skipper Land told CNN affiliate WJXX that the boat blew an oil pan gasket and the radio failed when he tried to call for help.
The men's situation grew tense when the boat was caught in a Gulf Stream current and drifted further north.
The men were reported missing early Friday by a relative who grew worried when the boaters did not return Thursday at sunset as originally planned, the Coast Guard said.
"We could hear on the radio, we could hear everybody looking for us, but could not get back," Land said.
Land said they ate their catch to maintain strength during the three days at sea.
"Last night we had raw dolphin and a little spicy mustard," he said.
He was grateful to be back on shore Sunday, expressing appreciation to see signs of life again.
"It is good," he said. "I'm looking at buildings and trees and stuff. It is a beautiful thing because out there we couldn't see the glare of the city lights anymore."
I have been fishing off West Palm Beach, only last month. We were not 20 miles out to sea by any stretch of the imagination, but we were in the same general area.
I have always thought that it would be so beautiful to look into the starry night sky far away from the lights of cities and to ponder our God who created each of those stars.
But then, I did not imagine myself adrift in a small boat--helpless, out of food, caught in the Gulf Stream and headed for the wide open Atlantic Ocean and storms of unimaginable proportions.
It is a fully different perspective from what I imagine for myself--but at least their boat continued to float.
And so I question myself--do I find comfort in the things created by humans--the buildings and the lights--signs of civilization? Despite what I want to believe, could I live without those things? How would I have felt given the same circumstances--adrift in the open ocean with few prospects for rescue?
The three men had a lot of time to think and ponder.
I wonder if they prayed.
I wonder of they talked about death and dying.
I wonder what they talked about and how they probably tried to repair the engine of the boat and the radio on which they could hear the searchers, but could not respond.
A fun day of fishing became a three-day ordeal. A "three-hour tour" so to speak.
And yet, they were rescued! I cannot imagine the joy they must have felt as they realized that the ship they saw on the horizon had seen them and was heading for them with the intent of rescuing them. I'm sure it was unimaginable joy and relief.
I'm glad this story had a happy ending.
Today I invite you to read a news item I read yesterday.
It is titled: Three Boaters Rescued after Three Days Lost at Sea. It is a CNN news item.
(CNN) -- Three boaters in South Florida have made it back to worried friends and family on dry land, three days after they went missing when their 32-foot boat broke down during what was supposed to be a one-day fishing trip 20 miles off of West Palm Beach.
The trio -- identified as John Land, 48, David Blakeney, 39, and Kevin Wood, 45, all from the local area -- and their disabled boat, named the Shade Maker, were spotted Saturday night by a U.S. Navy frigate 85 miles east of Jacksonville, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
None of the men was injured, and their craft was towed to shore in a joint effort between the Navy frigate and the Coast Guard, arriving in Mayport, Florida, overnight Saturday.
Skipper Land told CNN affiliate WJXX that the boat blew an oil pan gasket and the radio failed when he tried to call for help.
The men's situation grew tense when the boat was caught in a Gulf Stream current and drifted further north.
The men were reported missing early Friday by a relative who grew worried when the boaters did not return Thursday at sunset as originally planned, the Coast Guard said.
"We could hear on the radio, we could hear everybody looking for us, but could not get back," Land said.
Land said they ate their catch to maintain strength during the three days at sea.
"Last night we had raw dolphin and a little spicy mustard," he said.
He was grateful to be back on shore Sunday, expressing appreciation to see signs of life again.
"It is good," he said. "I'm looking at buildings and trees and stuff. It is a beautiful thing because out there we couldn't see the glare of the city lights anymore."
I have been fishing off West Palm Beach, only last month. We were not 20 miles out to sea by any stretch of the imagination, but we were in the same general area.
I found the last sentence of the news item to be the most interesting.
They could not see the lights of land and were afraid for they were lost at sea.
I have always thought that it would be so beautiful to look into the starry night sky far away from the lights of cities and to ponder our God who created each of those stars.
But then, I did not imagine myself adrift in a small boat--helpless, out of food, caught in the Gulf Stream and headed for the wide open Atlantic Ocean and storms of unimaginable proportions.
It is a fully different perspective from what I imagine for myself--but at least their boat continued to float.
And so I question myself--do I find comfort in the things created by humans--the buildings and the lights--signs of civilization? Despite what I want to believe, could I live without those things? How would I have felt given the same circumstances--adrift in the open ocean with few prospects for rescue?
The three men had a lot of time to think and ponder.
I wonder if they prayed.
I wonder of they talked about death and dying.
I wonder what they talked about and how they probably tried to repair the engine of the boat and the radio on which they could hear the searchers, but could not respond.
A fun day of fishing became a three-day ordeal. A "three-hour tour" so to speak.
And yet, they were rescued! I cannot imagine the joy they must have felt as they realized that the ship they saw on the horizon had seen them and was heading for them with the intent of rescuing them. I'm sure it was unimaginable joy and relief.
I'm glad this story had a happy ending.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Monday Musings - August 9, 2010
1. Today is a very significant day--35 years ago two 19 year-olds said I do, and they are still together. I guess the old Paul Simon song title is really true: Still Crazy After All These Years. I'd modify it a bit to read Still Crazy in Love After All These Years.
2. It happened last evening--the NFL is back for what could be its last season unless the owners and the players decide not to kill the cash cow. Pre-season Football results: Cowboys 16 Bengals 7. Importance to the overall season: My wife is happy.
3. And not to forget the O's--they won yesterday and are 5-1 since the beginning of August! The O's usually crash and burn during August.
4. It appears that BP really has killed the oil well in the Gulf. Good for them. Now they need to clean up the mess and stop patting themselves on the back for fixing a problem that they created.
5. Our local Exxon station (at the corner of Washington blvd and Old Montgomery Road), the one that I have been doing business with for the past 10 years decided to add a 5 cent per gallon charge for credit transactions. And their counter service for cash is terrible. I now use the Hess station across the street which is usually 1-2 cents per gallon cheaper for gas anyway. Go figure. I wonder how that is going to work out for them.
6. It was a good weekend, we got a lot of yard work done around the house and got the gardens mostly back into shape. It was nice to be working outside.
7. I need to mow the lawn--how could I forget that?
8. I brushed Makayla and when I was done, I thought I had another dog sitting next to me!
2. It happened last evening--the NFL is back for what could be its last season unless the owners and the players decide not to kill the cash cow. Pre-season Football results: Cowboys 16 Bengals 7. Importance to the overall season: My wife is happy.
3. And not to forget the O's--they won yesterday and are 5-1 since the beginning of August! The O's usually crash and burn during August.
4. It appears that BP really has killed the oil well in the Gulf. Good for them. Now they need to clean up the mess and stop patting themselves on the back for fixing a problem that they created.
5. Our local Exxon station (at the corner of Washington blvd and Old Montgomery Road), the one that I have been doing business with for the past 10 years decided to add a 5 cent per gallon charge for credit transactions. And their counter service for cash is terrible. I now use the Hess station across the street which is usually 1-2 cents per gallon cheaper for gas anyway. Go figure. I wonder how that is going to work out for them.
6. It was a good weekend, we got a lot of yard work done around the house and got the gardens mostly back into shape. It was nice to be working outside.
7. I need to mow the lawn--how could I forget that?
8. I brushed Makayla and when I was done, I thought I had another dog sitting next to me!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Summer Flowers
I love the flowers of summer.
They bring life and excitement to the scene and keep everything interesting.
Yesterday was a work day around the house. We had a lot to do and catch up on after being gone on vacation and really tired when we returned.
We made two trips to the landfill in the newly repaired pickup truck. I am proud to report that with the exception of two small items--everything was recycled!
And then we had the idea to remove a fairly homely, tall bush which was out of control near the deck and replace it with a crepe myrtle.
We have one beautiful red crepe myrtle on the other corner of the pool area. We have watched it grow now for the past four or five years and it has become a magnificent specimen and so we decided to drop another one on another corner--nearer the deck.
This activity was preceded by removing the 10-12 foot tall bush which was previously occupying the spot. Cutting down was easy--digging out the stump--not so much. Thank goodness for an all wheel drive vehicle which could assist in encouraging the stump to come out of the ground. That was a lifesaver because the digging was really tough. And did I say it was hot?
If you look in the picture of the red crepe myrtle you can see the tire tracks in the grass as we drove down around the back of the pool to access the area where the stump needed to be pulled--I love driving on the lawn!
It was very hot like in the mid-90's. Probably not the best time of day to labor outside--but it was all good and the end results are nice. We still need some additional top soil and a bag of mulch; which is the project for today.
I like the blast of color that the crepe myrtle's provide and it is one of the advantages of living our area that I enjoy. They just provide a canopy of color to enjoy. And then underneath--as this newly installed crepe myrtle grows--aha, then come the hostas for ground cover underneath.
And we have hostas the need to be moved because they have matured into huge hostas!
We have become a fan of hostas because they are green and they keep the weeds down.
Here are two of the varieties we have--the little standard green hosta that most people get, and then the huge Frances Williams variety--which was recommended to us and we love. With their huge leaves they fill up an available space.
Who knows what today will bring--another project and more satisfaction about being home and working around the house.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Sand Castles and Memories
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| Sand Castle built by Mike, Ethan and Jax during July 2010 |
Built by hands striving to make their mark on the world--no matter how temporary.
It is like writing your name in the sand on the beach. A strong statement that "I was here" but one that will soon be gone with the wind or the tides.
I have seen some fabulous sand art. And I am always impressed by its transient nature--the artist, or sand sculptor, uses their talent to create a design which causes people to pause and consider it, but also realize that the art is only temporary. And then the canvass is clean for them to start over.
It must be a freeing experience.
Not to be constrained by what has already been done and yet free to take yesterday's creation and remold it to make it different for the mood of the day. Even, in some manner, better.
I am sometimes so busy trying to create something that will last and have an enduring quality, that I forget that like the flowers of the field that bloom and then die in a day, transient things can be beautiful because they make a memory!
It is memories that really last and endure. Not the item or the thing. Over time things grow old and weathered. They crack and peel and become soiled with the passage of time.
But memories--they remain. And they are always with me.
And I can smile at the remembrance of them.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Plagiarsim Conundrum--A Newspaper Item Hits Home
I read a fascinating article in the New York Times the other day titled, Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age.
It brought back memories of college and writing long involved 20-30 page double-spaced and typed (yes typed) papers after poring over texts in the library. How I wish that I had had a computer in my dorm room back then to help me do the research in the comfort and clutter of my room.
Or so I thought, until I realized how the blurring of lines between original thought and creating collages of thoughts has affected today's computer-literate generation.
I strive to ensure that when I use items from other's works, I document them with hyper-links back to the original--not because I worry about plagiarism, but more so that the reader can read the entire piece and determine for themselves if I have used the extract in a consistent manner that is contextually consistent.
But as I read the article I referenced here, I realized that despite the best efforts of all of us, the boundary between common knowledge and unique theme-specific knowledge has become blurred. I often ask myself--how do I know that? Was that my idea? Or did I read it somewhere?
The information age is truly a complex one.
The tendrils of thought have become confused.
And then--the article I referenced earlier ends with the following paragraphs:
Many times, said Donald J. Dudley, who oversees the discipline office on the campus of 32,000[UC Davis], it was students who intentionally copied — knowing it was wrong — who were “unwilling to engage the writing process.”
“Writing is difficult, and doing it well takes time and practice,” he said.
And then there was a case that had nothing to do with a younger generation’s evolving view of authorship. A student accused of plagiarism came to Mr. Dudley’s office with her parents, and the father admitted that he was the one responsible for the plagiarism. The wife assured Mr. Dudley that it would not happen again.
It is easy to justify what you are doing in your mind--right up until someone asks about it.
Writing like any skill, must be learned and practiced.
But we live in an instant society--where we can have and we long for anything we can get, instantly!
Hence--writing is reduced to copying someone else's thoughts.
We all need to strive for originality and creativity--but when someone else says it just the way we would have said it--at least give them credit.
It brought back memories of college and writing long involved 20-30 page double-spaced and typed (yes typed) papers after poring over texts in the library. How I wish that I had had a computer in my dorm room back then to help me do the research in the comfort and clutter of my room.
Or so I thought, until I realized how the blurring of lines between original thought and creating collages of thoughts has affected today's computer-literate generation.
I strive to ensure that when I use items from other's works, I document them with hyper-links back to the original--not because I worry about plagiarism, but more so that the reader can read the entire piece and determine for themselves if I have used the extract in a consistent manner that is contextually consistent.
But as I read the article I referenced here, I realized that despite the best efforts of all of us, the boundary between common knowledge and unique theme-specific knowledge has become blurred. I often ask myself--how do I know that? Was that my idea? Or did I read it somewhere?
The information age is truly a complex one.
The tendrils of thought have become confused.
And then--the article I referenced earlier ends with the following paragraphs:
Many times, said Donald J. Dudley, who oversees the discipline office on the campus of 32,000[UC Davis], it was students who intentionally copied — knowing it was wrong — who were “unwilling to engage the writing process.”
“Writing is difficult, and doing it well takes time and practice,” he said.
And then there was a case that had nothing to do with a younger generation’s evolving view of authorship. A student accused of plagiarism came to Mr. Dudley’s office with her parents, and the father admitted that he was the one responsible for the plagiarism. The wife assured Mr. Dudley that it would not happen again.
It is easy to justify what you are doing in your mind--right up until someone asks about it.
Writing like any skill, must be learned and practiced.
But we live in an instant society--where we can have and we long for anything we can get, instantly!
Hence--writing is reduced to copying someone else's thoughts.
We all need to strive for originality and creativity--but when someone else says it just the way we would have said it--at least give them credit.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Cheap Blessings and Cheapened Grace - A Rant
OK, look out, here comes another rant. And this one is likely to really get the hairs on your neck ruffled.
This one is about some of the "well meaning" stuff I receive in my email.
They seem to end with something like this:
Pass this to 12 people including me. A blessing is coming to you in form
of a new job, a house, marriage or financially. Do not break or ask
questions. This is a test. Does God come first in your life? If so, stop what
you're doing & send it to 12 people now. Watch what he does!
Really? Do you believe this nonsense?
This is the Joel Osteen-style Christianity that sells books and keeps people's email full of empty hopes and promises. The "If I do, then God will " type of non-biblical Christianity. The type of Christianity that is so shallow it doesn't work. It is a Laodiceian-type of Christianity. Or form, but no substance.
What is the biblical basis for something like this?
Do we really pray to God and do things in his name to have him reward us like Santa Claus?
God blesses us in so many ways that we never even appreciate--and then we cheapen our relationship with Him by playing a game like--if I send this to 12 people then he will give me the desires of my heart!"
Really, come on!
He has already given us the greatest gift he could give us--through grace we have eternal life. We did not earn it by sending an email to 12 people. We were given it because His Son died for us, while we were still sinners and certainly did not then nor even now deserve it.
And then to top it all off, He blesses us every day and lavishes upon us things we don't even know we need, until He makes them known to us.
And so our response to this is to send little email messages to our friends promising that if they do this, then God will do that? I wonder if this is some of what John was writing about to the church of Laodicea in Revelations 3:14-22?
Emails that end like this, with the "If you do, then God will" promise are really missing the mark.
We are not going to heaven based on our works, 'cause we can't do enough to pay the price. And we certainly are not going to get there by sending emails to other Christians encouraging them to send emails in order to receive blessings.
Ah, some might say, it is a way of letting unbelievers hear of God. Really? How many of those emails really go to unbelievers. They are not even designed to go to people who have never heard of the Living God. And if one should be sent to an unbeliever, do we want them to learn of a god who seems to be little more than a purveyor of incantations? There is a lot more they need to learn--like starting with, you feel guilty about something you did way back when, let me tell you what our God did for you, already!
It is that old problem again--we think we need to do something to earn God's love.
Wrong! We can't earn it.
It is tied to the age-old question about works. We can't do enough to earn on our own what was freely given to us already by God. Why would we want or need to?
It's free. Accept that.
We must, however, reflect in our lives and the way we live how God has changed us from the inside--but it certainly should not be tied to doing little deeds with the expectation of receiving earthly rewards. And as a result of our joy, we do things (works) which confirm the faith we have.
We already have the reward--eternity.
I guess when I read emails that end with the action and the promise, I hear the televangelists at the end of the broadcast pleading, like so many politicians who have been coming to my door lately, "send me money and God will . . . "
God will anyway. Just ask.
The alternative to these emails?
Here is a thought.
I have felt that the stories that come in many of those emails are great and uplifting. Some are just fun to read. So delete the ending, the "if you send this to 12 people and me . . ." part.
Change it to a simple blessing to your friends--something like: I saw this and thought you would appreciate it. I'm thinking of and praying for you today.
A simple blessing.
That's what we all really need more than anything else. A reminder that we are loved by God and others.
This one is about some of the "well meaning" stuff I receive in my email.
They seem to end with something like this:
Pass this to 12 people including me. A blessing is coming to you in form
of a new job, a house, marriage or financially. Do not break or ask
questions. This is a test. Does God come first in your life? If so, stop what
you're doing & send it to 12 people now. Watch what he does!
Really? Do you believe this nonsense?
This is the Joel Osteen-style Christianity that sells books and keeps people's email full of empty hopes and promises. The "If I do, then God will " type of non-biblical Christianity. The type of Christianity that is so shallow it doesn't work. It is a Laodiceian-type of Christianity. Or form, but no substance.
What is the biblical basis for something like this?
Do we really pray to God and do things in his name to have him reward us like Santa Claus?
God blesses us in so many ways that we never even appreciate--and then we cheapen our relationship with Him by playing a game like--if I send this to 12 people then he will give me the desires of my heart!"
Really, come on!
He has already given us the greatest gift he could give us--through grace we have eternal life. We did not earn it by sending an email to 12 people. We were given it because His Son died for us, while we were still sinners and certainly did not then nor even now deserve it.
And then to top it all off, He blesses us every day and lavishes upon us things we don't even know we need, until He makes them known to us.
And so our response to this is to send little email messages to our friends promising that if they do this, then God will do that? I wonder if this is some of what John was writing about to the church of Laodicea in Revelations 3:14-22?
Emails that end like this, with the "If you do, then God will" promise are really missing the mark.
We are not going to heaven based on our works, 'cause we can't do enough to pay the price. And we certainly are not going to get there by sending emails to other Christians encouraging them to send emails in order to receive blessings.
Ah, some might say, it is a way of letting unbelievers hear of God. Really? How many of those emails really go to unbelievers. They are not even designed to go to people who have never heard of the Living God. And if one should be sent to an unbeliever, do we want them to learn of a god who seems to be little more than a purveyor of incantations? There is a lot more they need to learn--like starting with, you feel guilty about something you did way back when, let me tell you what our God did for you, already!
It is that old problem again--we think we need to do something to earn God's love.
Wrong! We can't earn it.
It is tied to the age-old question about works. We can't do enough to earn on our own what was freely given to us already by God. Why would we want or need to?
It's free. Accept that.
We must, however, reflect in our lives and the way we live how God has changed us from the inside--but it certainly should not be tied to doing little deeds with the expectation of receiving earthly rewards. And as a result of our joy, we do things (works) which confirm the faith we have.
We already have the reward--eternity.
I guess when I read emails that end with the action and the promise, I hear the televangelists at the end of the broadcast pleading, like so many politicians who have been coming to my door lately, "send me money and God will . . . "
God will anyway. Just ask.
The alternative to these emails?
Here is a thought.
I have felt that the stories that come in many of those emails are great and uplifting. Some are just fun to read. So delete the ending, the "if you send this to 12 people and me . . ." part.
Change it to a simple blessing to your friends--something like: I saw this and thought you would appreciate it. I'm thinking of and praying for you today.
A simple blessing.
That's what we all really need more than anything else. A reminder that we are loved by God and others.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Weary Already and Grinding Away
Back already for only two days--and weary of the grind already.
My head is still on "some beach, some where" (to quote a country song).
It is hard to believe the level of seemingly meaningless activity, meetings, questions, and actions that stream by me on a daily basis.
I am caught, it seems, in a bureaucratic for bureaucracy sake situation where the paper required to do intelligent things keeps them from being done.
And to top it all off, my truck is broken. But it should be fixed today, for a small transfer of large unmarked bills from my piggy bank.
I'm not sure what it all means at this point--but getting back into the saddle, as they say, after a wonderful vacation away sure is getting tougher.
I am, of course, excited that the Orioles have a new manager--but they will still likely finish last in all of baseball this year. It is hard to get worse than last. I guess the new manager is taking over at a good time--that can't really go anywhere but up. At least they won last night--which in itself is newsworthy.
And I am sure A-Rod is hoping to see the O's soon so he can finally hit his 600th homer. Want to talk about frustration? Another game last night--no home run. There you have it!
Talk here has already turned to football--and the Ravens are self-destructing in training camp! Injuries are putting people out for the season. Unlike the Redskins who can't seem to even get their players onto the field for training camp. It might be a good time to change teams, like someone in the family I know!!!
Did I say my truck is broken!
But it is all good.
My dog is happy to see me when I come home at night. And it makes me smile when she heads back upstairs to bed in the morning after mooching my toast to get a few more hours of shut-eye with Chris. They are quite a pair in the morning when I leave for work--nestled deep into the bed sleeping.
.JPG) |
| Lucas at Dinner in Outback |
And the pool is there for me to fall into and wash away the cares of the day when I come home.
And I had dinner last evening with Lucas ( and his Mom and Dad). It was an awesome time!
So all is not lost--it is just seems like it is hiding.
And I had dinner last evening with Lucas ( and his Mom and Dad). It was an awesome time!
So all is not lost--it is just seems like it is hiding.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fizz in the Glass of Life
While on vacation, I discovered something really different.I am provided with fizz in my glass of life to spice it up. Just like a cola or champagne--the fizz is there to keep me excited and interested.
What is this magic fizz in the glass of life?
Grandchildren!
Yup. Watching grandchildren play on the beach, or wrestle with their Mom and Dad on the floor, or fight like the brothers they are, and discover the world is truly the fizz that adds interest to life.
They are canvasses to write memories upon--memories which will remain long after I have changed my address from where I am now to eternity.
They explore and interact with the world and people in ways I had long forgotten and sometimes in ways that as a parent, I didn't appreciate then and only now after my own children are grown and having children of their own can I appreciate the ways of the child.
So what is this fizz?
The joy of discovering sea urchins on the beach and realizing that they are not plants, but animals.
The fear of letting a snail crawl on their hands.
The excitement of running headlong into the pounding surf driven by a tropical storm with the red flag flying.
Finding a small turtle on the beach and then learning all about turtles at the turtle rescue place.
Watching helplessly as they strike out again at the baseball game.
Seeing them struggle to roll over and become more like a person as they grow from a baby.
Yes, there is stress--and like a glass or more of champagne, the fizz can be overwhelming at times. But it provides the interest in life to help me see things differently.
It is fizz surely. Sometimes it gets up my nose and makes me cringe--but usually it helps me appreciate life and something that I have forgotten that I had a lot of fun learning and doing.
I guess it keeps me from getting too old, too fast.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Monday Musings - August 2, 2010
1. It's August already? What happened to July?2. Sunrise and sunset today are combining to make today 2 minutes shorter of daylight than yesterday.
3. And so it is off to work today--the first time in over two weeks that I will be wearing long pants and shoes. Should be a lot of fun.
4. I was having so much fun on vacation last week that I totally forgot to write Monday Musings and no one missed them.
5. The oil spill in the Gulf is turned off but the disaster continues.
6. Question: If the people who run WikiLeaks knew they were publishing US Govt classified information, why shouldn't they go to jail for treason or espionage? Is it not the responsibility of all citizens to protect US classified information? I'm confused!
7. Have a positive outlook for the day and it may surprise you and be a good day!
8. Do not despair the passing of July because August is still summer!
9. As of today the Orioles have a new manager--they still are the worst team in baseball though.
10. Chris and I saw two movies alone as a couple while on vacation We believe it has been probably over a year since we have seen a movie together and alone. We enjoyed it.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Morning After the Two Weeks Before
We are back home in Maryland.
After over two weeks of vacation we returned safely home to resume life.
Our home, despite hosting at least three parties while we were away, was in fantastic shape. All told there were only three causalities--all plants, while we were away. Which is good for any vacation during the highest heat of the summer.
The signature symbol of Jupiter is the lighthouse. Designed by Gen George G. Meade to provide safe passage to mariners, it now provides passage for me to my happy place. The place where everything seems to be right with the world and I am able to blot out negative thoughts for a time.
Maybe it is a small preview of heaven, in that sense.
Chris snapped this image on our last evening in Jupiter--I have lots of images of the lighthouse in daylight, but she had the idea to get it at night--and it is an awesome shot.
A beacon to navigate the dark night.
A memory to grasp and hold onto during the hectic days of life--a place where I am unhurried and the biggest decision of the day is whether we go to the beach at 8:30 am or 9:00 am.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring as I head back into work and resume my 50 week per year life. But, I am armed with many memories and fully relaxed and ready to tackle the challenges that I will inevitably face.
But the lighthouse is the signal to help me to find my way back.
After over two weeks of vacation we returned safely home to resume life.
Our home, despite hosting at least three parties while we were away, was in fantastic shape. All told there were only three causalities--all plants, while we were away. Which is good for any vacation during the highest heat of the summer.
The signature symbol of Jupiter is the lighthouse. Designed by Gen George G. Meade to provide safe passage to mariners, it now provides passage for me to my happy place. The place where everything seems to be right with the world and I am able to blot out negative thoughts for a time.
Maybe it is a small preview of heaven, in that sense.
Chris snapped this image on our last evening in Jupiter--I have lots of images of the lighthouse in daylight, but she had the idea to get it at night--and it is an awesome shot.
A beacon to navigate the dark night.
A memory to grasp and hold onto during the hectic days of life--a place where I am unhurried and the biggest decision of the day is whether we go to the beach at 8:30 am or 9:00 am.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring as I head back into work and resume my 50 week per year life. But, I am armed with many memories and fully relaxed and ready to tackle the challenges that I will inevitably face.
But the lighthouse is the signal to help me to find my way back.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
South Carolina dawn
After a fitful night's sleep in a hotel near Savannah, we are back on the road.
The last leg of the trip back to the day-to-day grind and farther from vacation.
Yesterday we were snorkeling the warm Atlantic and today we are looking at a ribbon of highway in front of us.
Home is ahead of us and fantasy is behind as we travel the road through purgatory from one world to the other.
All good things end I guess to remind us that they are good things.
OK, I do miss my dog.
Sent from my iPhone
The last leg of the trip back to the day-to-day grind and farther from vacation.
Yesterday we were snorkeling the warm Atlantic and today we are looking at a ribbon of highway in front of us.
Home is ahead of us and fantasy is behind as we travel the road through purgatory from one world to the other.
All good things end I guess to remind us that they are good things.
OK, I do miss my dog.
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, July 30, 2010
Jupiter in my Rearview Mirror
I can't believe my love affair with the ocean is now on hold for probably another year.
We just drove by the accident the had the road closed and it was on the other side of the road. Our lanes were closed for the medivac helo. It was a horrific two car accident. We said a prayer for those involved in the accident.
It put a real downer on my vacation's end. But we are going to drive a bit safer.
The image is of Jupiter Island beach this morning. A memory caught in an image.
Just Another Sunny Day in Paradise
Fundamentally, what is wrong with vacations is that they seem to end right when I begin having fun and am fully decompressed and can really enjoy the vacation the most.
The thought of returning to the grind of daily life begins to weigh heavily on me as I write this knowing that in less than 72 hours, I will have a tie around my neck, socks and shoes on my feet, and again be stuffed into a windowless room lighted with the harsh glow of florescent lights.
While this morning--my last on the beach for this vacation, I snorkeled for over two hours with Chris and we had a magnificent day. We played with birds and urchins on the beach, we saw a huge barracuda, and a 6 foot lemon shark and then had a manatee swim within 10 feet of us. Had my underwater camera not been toasted a few days ago, I would have images to match these memories--but alas, they are only memories.
Chris called it the best day snorkeling ever! I agree. I decided not to go diving so I could snorkel with Chris and God did not disappoint us with the diversity, size, and ferocity of the marine life we saw.
And so, as the packing out moves into a frenzy--I have fond memories of a great vacation which showed me so many different things and taught me about the fizz in my life as well and the constants. I'll write about the fizz soon.
Mostly, I got in touch with my real self again--if even for only a few moments on the beach
mindlessly watching the waves.
I was mostly in the moment--not thinking about what was going to happen but just enjoying what was happening. I even got bothered when people asked me about the "plan." Ugh. Plan was in the future and I just wanted to enjoy the moment, or the bird, or the fish, turtle, manatee, or shark.
But even now, my mind is looking towards the trek back to Maryland and the life I have for 50 weeks a year.
It is a long trek--but I will ride spectacular memories of family, friends, and awe at God's creation.
The thought of returning to the grind of daily life begins to weigh heavily on me as I write this knowing that in less than 72 hours, I will have a tie around my neck, socks and shoes on my feet, and again be stuffed into a windowless room lighted with the harsh glow of florescent lights.
While this morning--my last on the beach for this vacation, I snorkeled for over two hours with Chris and we had a magnificent day. We played with birds and urchins on the beach, we saw a huge barracuda, and a 6 foot lemon shark and then had a manatee swim within 10 feet of us. Had my underwater camera not been toasted a few days ago, I would have images to match these memories--but alas, they are only memories.
Chris called it the best day snorkeling ever! I agree. I decided not to go diving so I could snorkel with Chris and God did not disappoint us with the diversity, size, and ferocity of the marine life we saw.
And so, as the packing out moves into a frenzy--I have fond memories of a great vacation which showed me so many different things and taught me about the fizz in my life as well and the constants. I'll write about the fizz soon.
Mostly, I got in touch with my real self again--if even for only a few moments on the beach
mindlessly watching the waves.I was mostly in the moment--not thinking about what was going to happen but just enjoying what was happening. I even got bothered when people asked me about the "plan." Ugh. Plan was in the future and I just wanted to enjoy the moment, or the bird, or the fish, turtle, manatee, or shark.
But even now, my mind is looking towards the trek back to Maryland and the life I have for 50 weeks a year.
It is a long trek--but I will ride spectacular memories of family, friends, and awe at God's creation.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Turtle Whisperer
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| Just Hatched and Looking for the Ocean |
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| Crawling Across the Beach |
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| Off to the Deep Ocean |
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| First Contact with the Surf |
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| Missed the First Wave--Waiting for the Next One |
Found little turtle hatchlings on the beach after a nest had an eruption.
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| The Turtle Whisperer |
It really is amazing though--they dig themselves out of the nest, crawl across 50 yards of no easy to navigate beach and then into the ocean! But once they hit the water, they really begin to motor and these little guys can really motor!
One of the pictures here is of a hatchling just breaking the surface of the sand and the Turtle Whisperer was there to capture the moment.
we spent a long time this morning watching the turtles from at least three nests make their way to the surf. Sadly, the Turtle Whisperer could not save one hatchling which became caught in the sea grass drying on the beach and was plucked up as breakfast for a big black crow.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Mini-Lobster Season
Today, July 28th was the first day of the mini-lobster season here in Florida.
The pictures highlight the ending for one unlucky lobster--left dead on the beach after having its tail removed.
Spiny lobsters do not have claws like Maine lobsters do, but their tails are every as bit good to eat.
The ocean was alive today with boats, snorkelers, and divers looking for lobsters as private citizens get two days before the opening of the commercial lobster season.
We met a guy on the beach today who had a lobster in his bag and saw one out on the reef as we were snorkeling earlier in the day. If I had not destroyed my underwater camera I would have taken a picture of it--but alas, my camera suffered from unplanned exposure to sea water when the housing failed for some unknown reason.
I hate seeing the results of this type of harvesting--half a lobster washed up on the beach. I love to eat lobster, but seeing this really caused me to question why I continue to eat lobster since we use only a small portion of the total animal.
But, that is just the way it is--having a season protects them so they can reproduce and we do not take the species to extinction in over harvesting.
Usually, we hear of four or five divers who die lobstering--and those numbers aren't available yet.
But--it is a season like deer season in Pennsylvania and trout season in New York.
Lots of people took the day off from work to go hunting lobster.
I just wanted to take pictures of them--
But fish are food, not friends.
Inception Movie Review
The movie Inception is a movie which while full of action, is not a mindless trip to the theater.
I am not a Leonardo DiCaprio fan, but I found his acting to be stellar in this sci-fi movie which requires the movie goer to stay engaged and understand the movie.
Director Christopher Nolan has engineered a true thinking movie and at 2:28 running time it can get almost exhausting before it is over.
The plot is as follows: Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. Written by Warner Bros. Pictures
The cast seemed well suited to the task of pulling this complex plot off. DiCaprio gives an excellent performance as Cobb assisted by his close aid Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Michael Caine stops by to play Cobb's father-in-law and former professor.
The movie really moves along very nicely at time at almost a frantic pace--except for the end which begins to drag some as the pieces of the plot come together. Some of final scenes are just to long--I checked my watch during them as it just seemed to go on and on in a plodding sort of way. It seemed as if they spent a lot of money filming these scenes and decided they couldn't cut them down--but the length of the action and the violence begin to detract from the movie. They were out of character from the rest of the movie which is very crisp and focused.
The ending, no I'm not going to reveal anything, works on multiple levels and fostered spirited discussion among our friends as to the clues which were left in the ending to help the viewer determine what happened.
Be prepared to think and actively watch if you see this movie. The viewer will be lost if they are expecting the usual Hollywood fare of mindless action.
RECOMMENDATION: See this movie. There is violence (a lot of it). Probably not suited for the under 13 crowd who will not be able to follow the plot.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Bird Brained
Most everyone knows that flamingos are one of my favorite birds.
I don't know why--they just are.
I have a pink flamingo statue on my desk at work which greets people who come to visit me.
I just find them to be a very stately acting/looking bird.
No--we do not have pink flamingo statues in our yard or gardens.
Yes, I do have a pretty unique pink flamingo wine bottle holder that I bought at the West Palm Beach airport twice! The first one got broken a few years ago and I replaced it.
Yes, by the way, the flamingo is drunk!
You Talking to Me?
Sometimes we take images that just scream out a caption and make me laugh, like this one.
We were driving through Lion Country Safari, and these water buffalo's were enjoying a dip on the start of another hot day. As we drove by this one looked right at us as if to ask:
"You talkin' to me?"
I think he could have made any response to my answer to his question stick, so we stayed silent and kept driving.
He remained cool and did not pursue.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Manatee Surprise
It seems that every day of this vacation is filled with some new unexpected surprise. Most of them good--except for the sunscreen failure we suffered.
Today we were treated to a very rare treat.
A herd of manatees chose to spend some time sunning themselves very close to us on the beach. It was a surprise as there were about 10 manatees in the herd. They had been playing about 100 yards offshore and when spooked by a boater who came too close and probably sis not see them. We had seen the herd playing out in the water and spent a lot of time trying to decide what type of animal it was.
Fortunately, they decided to come close--about 50 feet offshore onto the rocks near us and I was vindicated when everyone else saw they were manatees--which is what I had postulated.
They are huge!
Some had fresh wounds--although from what we do not know--it could have been the barnacles on the rocks or something else.
As close as they were, we really did not want to disturb the herd as it had definitely assembled for some purpose and stayed close together until their departure when they went in many different directions.
They continued to play off shore for a long while--separately. The herd had dissolved into a separate groups of single and paired manatees playing in the warm, late-July Atlantic Ocean.
It was really very cool to see these gentle giants playing together, just offshore.
We had read an article last week that the cold weather of the past winter had killed many manatees and so seeing this herd gather together was a good reminder that nature has a way of surviving.
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