Rainforest Zip Line Adventure

One of the things I really wanted to do while in St Lucia was to zip line through the rainforest.

Yesterday, my desire became a reality. Chris and I headed off on a rainforest adventure which was great fun and thoroughly educational.

We headed out on an hour long taxi ride to the rain forest picking up some other companions along the way at other resorts. We were met at the entrance to Rain Forest Adventures St Lucia by Jesse who would be our guide for the activity.



We were strapped into harnesses and provided a helmut and looked really ready to zip line--but first there was a training run to teach us the basics of zip lining and ensure we would have fun during the day.


From the training, we headed off onto the tram for a 45 minute and scenic ride up the mountain. Jesse was a font of knowledge and explained the details of the rainforest to us during the ascent. I really enjoyed having such a knowledgeable guide and we had a lot of fun discovering the hidden secrets of the St Lucian rainforest.



The tram up the mountain was in the area just under the canopy so that we could see the plants and creatures that inhabit this zone of the rainforest. As we arrived at the top, we disembarked and began a short hike to the zip line platforms.


We saw some wildlife along the way like this tarantula--which funny enough made a lot of people cringe--but it loved getting its picture taken.



We had a lot of fun. The operation was very safety conscious and after the first platform, which was just above the ground, we were never untethered to either the lines or a tree. At a couple platforms we were at least 80 feet up--and the view under the canopy of the rainforest was spectacular. Normally, you zip line alone, but Chris got a surprise when the guide decided to join her and spin her around on the zip line--just for fun!



After the zip lines--there were nine, we hiked back to the top of the mountain for the tram ride down. The ride down was mostly in or just above the canopy and so we experienced another unique part of the rainforest.



It was a wow day!

And after the hard work of becoming novice zip liners, we ended the day with another Marigot Bay sunset--just because. This is from a restaurant at the end of and above the bay--the whole bay is visible and our villa is on the right side of the hill going to the palm trees about half way down.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Some Cool Dive Photos from Wednesday

I have been going over some of the photos I took during my dives the other day, and I have a few which are really cool that I want to share.



I don't know what this is, some kind of shrimp I suspect.



And then there is the puffer--a big puffer I was able to shoot as he was watching me watching him.



And I was swimming in an aquarium, or so it seemed.



And the wall I was swimming along underwater.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

History and Shopping - St Lucia Day 6

We took a day for some more exploration of St Lucia. We headed north from Marigot Bay and visited Pigeon Island, Rodney Bay, and the capitol, Castries, for some afternoon shopping during the heat of the day.

Our driver was fabulous and we navigated the roads again without incident.



Pigeon Island is host to beaches and history. A fort was erected on the island which was critical in the control of the West Indies during the struggles between France and Great Britain for control of the region. The site also hosted a USAF signal station for a number of years--tough duty being assigned to St Lucia. We even happened upon an old lime kiln--which is significant in that it is the name of the school that Chris works in.



From investigating the history of the region--and even learning about the Battle of the Saints, 9-12 April 1782--a stunning victory for the British, and the coining of the phrase "breaking the line," we left Pigeon Island and headed off into Rodney Bay for lunch and sight seeing.



Lunch was an on the beach restaurant and a momentous thing occurred, my wife ordered the first beer she has ever ordered for her own consumption. AND then ordered a second. We have been enjoying a local beer here, Piton Beer, it is very light and refreshing and just slightly sweet taste. She tasted it the other night and really liked it--evidenced by her ordering one at lunch.



From lunch, we headed off to Castries for some shopping. A Carnival Cruise Line ship was in port--and we were often confused with the cruise people, but, as the town emptied out it became clear that we were not associated with the cruise ship.


Shopping was an interesting adventure, but with a few exceptions, it looked as if every vendor was getting their merchandise from the same supplier. Castries is a booming city though and it was fun to be there amongst the hustle and the bustle.

Dinner ended with a nice meal at JD's at the end of Marigot Bay--we remembered bug spray unlike previous evenings and enjoyed the short ferry ride to the dockside seating of the restaurant.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Diving and Snorkeling St Lucia - Day 5

Yesterday was devoted to a dive and snorkeling trip. We decided to head off and do serious work in the water. Although the day got off to a bit of a rough start in that the punctuality of vacationing Americans ran into the laid back approach to time that we generally love about the islands.

They were late--by all of maybe 5 minutes. But the dive shop didn't even open when it was supposed to open, which also caused some consternation. But in the end, all was good and we climbed aboard our dive boat and headed off for a great day of diving and snorkeling.

We headed off for our first stop which was a great location in the vicinity of the Lesleen M freighter. The really exciting thing about this tour operator, Dive Fair Helen, was they managed four very different groups nicely. The boat, although only having 12 passengers had one experienced diver, one diver doing certification dives, seven people doing and introduction to scuba, and three snorkelers. Everyone had their own guide and their own area to provide the best view of the marine life off the coast of St Lucia.


I got to dive the Lesleen M wreck. Chris, Scott, and Pennie got some really goos snorkeling right off the coast at Anse Couchon in some very clear water populated with lots of fish and corals. I actually joined them after my dive--and it was really good snorkeling. We got a great image of a cuddlefish. The wreck dive was awesome--I was the only diver and I had the divemaster all to myself. He really knew the wreck and ensured that I saw it all. I even made my first wreck penetration--we went into the superstructure and up a gangway out onto the walkways around the the aft end of the ship. The wreck is in about 65 feet of water at the bow and is 40 feet deep from the top of the superstructure. I saw a huge goliath grouper and an abundance of other fish.



From there, we were served lunch and headed off to the area which is the primer diving spot of St Lucia: Anse Chastinet. Again the charter managed the very different groups. The diving and the snorkeling was fabulous. In addition. my dive also included a tour of another dive site called Fairy Land. The corals and abundance of life was the best I have seen. The dive was varied and in some places aided by a nice current which made areas like a drift dive.



The highlight of the dive was the spotted eel I saw moving along the bottom.



The trip back to Marigot Bay on the boat was relaxing and enjoyable. At the end of the day we had had a lot of fun and seen some truly unique site.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Speaking of Paradise

One of the really cool things about the trip so far is the sunsets.

Chris and I love sunsets and we love imaging them--so I am going to share a couple of them--just because.












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Waterfront, St Lucia

Snorkeling the St Lucian Caribbean

Day 4 was a rainy day from the stat. Passing showers made it almost impossible to plan any meaningful outdoor activity--so we decided to go snorkeling.

We rented a water taxi and headed off to a small cove (anse) just outside Marigot Bay.

And so a short 15 minute sail later and we were ready for an adventure. It was fun--the highlight of the trip was seeing a spotted eel swimming--but it was too fast for my camera.


The abundance of different corals-soft and hard are beautiful to look at and as always, not touch.

All told, we had a good hour and fifteen minutes of snorkeling and enjoyed a couple of rain showers. The really nice part was the boat entry into the water and subsequent exit made for a no sand experience.

The images from my camera need some color balancing so most of them aren't that good, yet. But this little guy was a lot of fun to look at and to enjoy.


And what else is there to say, but another day in paradise?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Interesting question from the trip so far

What common food item is this?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Marigot Bay, St Lucia

The road, the village, the volcano and some rum for good measure

Today was immersion into St Lucia. We experienced life in two fishing villages, visited the former capitol of Soufriere, walked into a volcano and smelled the H2S (Hydrogen sulfide) and saw the super heated steam, visited a botanical garden, and arrived back at our villa hot sweaty, and ready to fall into the pool for some refreshment.


Where to begin--ok the roads. The roads are dangerous and I am glad we hired a driver. the roads are narrow, pot-holed, mountainous, and washed out in some places by the hurricane last year. I'm not sure I could even have navigated using the maps.

This image is of the Pitons--the national landmark of St Lucia. We had lunch in a restaurant right between them and the volcano is just to the left.


The volcano was dormant but had hot spots which are national treasures. We could smell the gas coming from the earth. It gave new meaning to the phrase my Dad always uses about hell, fire, and brimstone.


I had thought we might be able to get closer to the hot spots, but they had us restrained a safe distance away. This photo actually is of the mud being thrown into the air by the super heated steam. Still, the power of what was below our feet was amazing.

From the volcano, we headed off to lunch at a location between the Pitons. It was fabulous. The raw beauty is hard to imagine without seeing them in person. They are rugged and sit right on the coast--right down to the coast. We are going to be anchored between them on our first night of the sailing half of the vacation. And I am looking forward to swimming in the bay between them--something right out of a movie.

From lunch--it was off to a botanical garden. We were confronted by so many beautiful flowers and at the mid point of our tour through a falls which is part of the mineral laden water flowing from the volcano.



Chris took a multitude of flower pictures and I tried to get the falls--unsuccessfully the way I wanted to remember them.




To end the day we happened upon a rum distillery. Since there are no wineries, we decided to do a rum tasting. Decide for yourself if we had fun on the road to Soufriere and back.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sunset Last Night

We closed out day 2 with a great snorkeling adventure right in Marigot Bay. We had a great tim until the tide started to go out and the water became too murky to see much beyond about 4 feet.

I got some pictures--my underwater camera is recovered from its bd adventure last year--actually I worked with the company and they replaced it.

A nice salmon home-cooked meal topped off the evening along with the fabulous sunset from the bay.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Marigot Bay, St Lucia

Day 2 on St Lucia

Tropical paradise in the truest sense of the word. It can be a shock for those who are used to urban tourist areas or visiting a Sandal's resort, but it is truly the tropics.

We are in a villa across on the north side of Marigot Bay on the west coast and the only way to get to the side where civilization and taxis are is a water ferry.

The bay and the water are the reasons that people come here. Here I am on the water taxi with my big purchase of the day--fruit. I was a bit of a sucker.


The bay and the water are definitely worth it.




Everyone seems so nice even though we essentially have no internet connection and only sporadic service with the rest of the world--who cares?

Are we having fun and relaxing? You bet.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Oasis Marigot, Marigot Bay, St Lucia

Lunch at Marigot Bay

St Lucia

We arrived. It is awesome. We are having wifi issues which precludes sending pictures or even writing more than short snippets.

The flights all worked out even with the delays and the over an hour drive to our villa from the airport was at the same time breath taking an terrifying. The island is still recovering from hurricane Thomas which blew through during October.

The warm breeze this morning blowing across the room is fabulous.

Lay back, relax, and maybe some snorkeling this afternoon.

Sent from my iPhone

In the Air, It Begins - Day 1

This post was not made until after the trip although I wrote it as we were flying the first leg of our journey. Sometimes, things just get overlooked, I guess.

Well, we made it out of Dulles on time. Yay. So the vacation is truly underway I am writing this as we are winging our way over the US enroute to Charlotte for our connecting flight to St Lucia.


It has already been an adventure and we expect the adventure to continue for the rest of the day.

We had some fun with TSA again. Chris forgot a small can of hairspray in her purse--while it was of legal size, because she failed to pull it out separately she was subjected to additional searches which are never fun and always take more time. Im glad that I am not the only one who has fun with TSA when we travel.

It was fun to watch the airport wake up, although I wish it had been BWI.

The flying weather is so far beautiful and smooth.

I confess, I am looking forward to sitting around the private pool at our villa tonight enjoying the sultry Caribbean evening watching the sun set with traveling behind me and visions of decompressing and chilling ahead of me for the next two weeks. I am hopeful that the most stressful thing I have to do is decide which reef to snorkel or dive.

More updates to follow, I hope.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Made it to Charlotte

We completed the first leg of the journey successfully. We are sitting on the plane ready to button up and take off for St Lucia.

So far so good although we have been advised that my sister I not as lucky and her flight is delayed.

Sadly. There is no wifi on the flight.

So it may be a while before another update.

Sent from my iPhone

And So it Begins

Our huge vacation is already off to a strange start. Thankfully, I had a bit of insomnia this morning and got up at 2AM and checked my email to find that our flight from Baltimore to Charlotte had been cancelled. Ugh!

So now, at 5:12 AM, Chris and I are sitting in Dulles airport outside of DC waiting for another flight.

Yes--the car is here too and we are not too worried about retrieving it at this time since in we will be returning to Baltimore.

But we are here, our bags are checked and we are sucking coffee in the local Starbucks the airport.

St Lucia is still in sight at this point--but traveling these days is truly a traveler beware proposition.

There is still a lot of travel and day ahead--but, at least we are still in the game.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Rainbow Dr,Elkridge,United States

The Enemy of Good is Better

A friend of mine has written a book of poetry titles: "The Enemy of Good is Better."

I haven't bought it yet, although I have meant to for many months.

As I have been planning the upcoming vacation and completing projects at work, I have come to see how sage this statement really is, in terms of wasted effort.

Good is, by definition good--meaning passing and acceptable.

But I have this desire not to be just good, but excellent. Better than good and so I spend extra time exceeding the standard. I took a course a month ago and I wanted to get a 100 on the final exam even though passing was 80 percent. The final grade was recorded as a pass or a fail. No extra benefit for exceeding the minimum. Good should have been good enough--but I desired perfection. And although I attained my perfect but still passing score--really, was it worth the effort?  I still received a "P" for a grade and I received credit for the course.

Think of the wasted time trying to be better than good causes.

Sometimes it is worth it--I definitely want a surgeon who is better than good, or an auto repair person who is better than good.  But, in my life sometime it becomes wasteful to try to be better than good.  And good is no longer "good enough."

Ego.

I felt it this past weekend working at my parents house putting down quarter-round on their wood floors. My worst corner was only good--but it was also the one that shows the most. My best corner--almost perfection is in a place that no one will ever see.  And I was unhappy with good.

So, I will but the book--as I have been meaning to. I want a hard copy to have and hold.

But the title intrigues me because I know his poetry is not only good, but it is better.

Dog Days Arrive Quietly

We are in the Dog Days, which according to the Farmer's Almanac run from July 3 - August 11. The hottest and most oppressive 40 days of the summer.

Humidity runs high, rain (except this year) is often scarce, and tempers flare at the mere perception of dissonance.

Tuesday evening, the game time temperature was 104 degrees when the Orioles took the field against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas. 

I noticed also that the mosquitoes are beginning to swarm in search of their favorite food--my legs.

Drivers on the road are less forgiving and more ready to be confrontational--which is really scary at the speeds that some of those crazies drive.

Breathe deep and enjoy the scents of summer in the air. I was able to experience a wide range of smells during my drive to and from Ithaca last weekend. I took Cat as the vehicle of choice and for all but about 90 minutes of the 12 hours of driving, the top was down and I was part of the landscape.

Some of the smells are bad--exhaust and decaying animals along the road--but many of the others are sweet, like new mowed hay and the breeze down in some of the deep ravines.

I relish the Dog Days. They are, after all the best days of summer. When the days are still long and the nights warm and close.

Pool days. Hot days. Days that makes the sweat run off your back. Days that make you slow down, and stop and take a breath.

Days that say: notice me now, for too soon I'll be gone and be nothing but a memory.

Trials, Verdicts, and Casey Anthony

The biggest trial and verdict since the OJ Simpson trial.

A failure? Yes and no.

Strangely, our system of innocent until proven guilty continues to work. In a trial such as this the standard that the evidence must be presented to gain a conviction is to "beyond. Reasonable doubt."

This is important. The job of the prosecutor, representing the people, is to ensure the evidence meets this standard.

Clearly, in the minds of the jurors the prosecutor failed. Therefore, despite however we all may feel the system worked and Casey Anthony was found not guilty.

We should all be happy that our system still works despite the media coverage which had already tried, convicted, and essentially executed Casey Anthony.

I felt, although only based upon what I had seen and heard in the media, that the prosecution failed to prove that Caylee had been murdered by her mother. Accidental draining in a pool is significantly different than premeditated murder. And even if I accept the prosecution's argument that it was a murder, then I felt the evidence regarding who and how was circumstantial at best.

So the system worked.

AND it failed.

It failed little Caylee who is dead and for whom no murderer or killer has been convicted. The system failed to protect little Caylee before she died and failed to uncover the truth about her death.

The failure is on the part of the State and the prosecutor. If Casey murdered Caylee, then the State needed to prove it. If Casey is truly getting away with murder, the system failed. That Caylee is dead and the who and the how are unknown is also a failure.

Despite how I personally feel, recognizing that my view of the case is shaped by the media coverage, given the evidence that was presented, justice was served. I would not want an Amanda Knox-like circus for a justice system.

There is a higher court that Caylee's murderer will be answering to, and I leave it to that court, which already knows all of the facts, to dispense justice and mercy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

End of the Independence Weekend

And the radio blared out patriotic music as the fireworks made their way into the sky and the family cheered to its own backyard display.


The overcast day did not dampen the spirits of those gathered for the celebration and the pool saw quite a bit of use as the weather was humid and warm--or as I sometimes call it, close. Note that the soccer ball is being kicked in the air, backwards, before fully landing in the pool. A tribute to the guys with the ball and the camera operator, Chris.

Lucas was in control of both of his parents, both grandparents and one set of aunt and uncle. Not bad for an 18 month old.



It was really kind of neat the the 1812 Overture came on the Pandora radio station we were playing right as we were enjoying our fireworks.



While we are but backyard amateurs, it was fun to have our own 4th of July fun in the backyard. And especially since the fire threat was very low due to the rain which fell the night before and the light rain that was falling as we were lighting the darkness with our own version of the replay of the War of 1812 and the bombardment which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became our National Anthem.

It is sad that the long weekend is over and that it is back to the grind. But let,s be serious--in five days I'll be on a plane for a Caribbean vacation singing along with Alan Jackson about it being Five O'clock somewhere. Of course I always ask, why wait for five? It is three o'clock somewhere, too.

I hope you had a happy 4th. And I want to thank everyone in my family, extended family, too; who made this a holiday to remember.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Rainbow Dr,Elkridge,United States

American Ranger: Happy Birthday America - Remember The Sacrifices Of Your Founders

American Ranger: Happy Birthday America - Remember The Sacrifices Of Your Founders

Monday musings - July 4, 2011

1. Happy 235th birthday America.

2. Independence weekend is a blast-literally! I have enjoyed fireworks and fun.

3. Traffic is lighter on the day before a three-day weekend ends.

4. I still love patriotic music and marches. Bring on John Phillip Sousa!

5. Friday as I was driving along the road past the house I grew up in I saw myself--a 13 year old boy on a bicycle racing the cars along the shoulder of the highway feeling the wind in my short hair. It took me back decades to when I used to do the same thing. Life was freedom along the highway on my bike.

6. I realized yesterday on the way back from Ithaca that exit 100 on I-81 in Pennsylvania is where the highway changes from rural speedway into a more frenetic urban highway. There are still rural stretches, but the scenery almost always has built up areas in view.

7. Driving under a canopy of trees on a rural backroad is a freeing experience.

8. Isn't it sad that sometimes when we are getting something that we want, live people visiting, that we choose to withdraw or not enjoy the company?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fireflies in the evening

The dark trees were alive last evening with the sparkling of the fireflies in the trees complimenting the fireworks celebrations around us.

We sat around a fire making s'mores and enjoying some family.

We heard the distant and persistent booms of the celebrations around us. Although we could not see the fireworks themselves, the sky lit as if lightning was all around us.

This is one of those prolonged celebrations of our Independence. Enjoyable with family.

As darkness fell, the fireflies made their presence known like so many persistent fireworks in the treelike. The dark trees were alive with their own celebrations. I tried to capture their cool lights in the trees, but they were so brief that I could not save the memory to an image.

As the night wore on, and we turned out the lights of the house, the fireflies came closer to include where we were sitting as part of the celebration.

I remembered my childhood running after fireflies on the lawn and putting them into jars to enjoy for the evening, but always letting them go before bed. They don't keep well it seems.

Fireworks lighting the sky and fireflies rekindling long forgotten memories, what a celebration.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fire Works on Friday

So for Independence Day we did the Fireworks in Ithaca. Turns out is was Canada Day, too.

So we went to a cold college campus where the 64th community fireworks were conducted and we enjoyed some of the best fireworks we have seen. Why? Because we were close and they completely filled our field of vision with explosions everywhere.

Sadly there was no music with them. But that was the only downer.

Well it was cold, too. I mean see your breath in the in the air cold.

But it was worth it.

What a great way to start the holiday weekend.

Summertime Holiday Weekend

Friday and Monday. The summertime holidays are upon us. Today is Canada Day and of course Monday is the US Independence Day.

A weekend framed by North American holidays.

Despite sharing a long border, the two countries, Canada and the US, also share days recognizing their creation during a similar time--but the circumstances are very different. Canada was the a union of colonies into a country by the British while, as we know, the US was formed by dissolving the existing bonds to the British and creating something new out of a loose confederation of colonies.

But no matter which side of the border you live on, it is going to be a messy weekend for travel and fun.

I do confess that Canada Day does not get up very high on my list of favorite foreign holidays. But I do note it, much like I note the Queen's Birthday or May Day.

So if you are traveling this weekend--take it easy and fly or drive or sail safely.

If you are lucky enough not to have to risk life and limb on the roads, in the skies, or on the water take a moment to clap yourself on the back.

But no matter what, holidays are a good time to pause and inventory blessings and be thankful for what we have and determine if what we are pursuing really all that important.

Enjoy some of the festivities. Mingle with our fellow citizens, and if in the US, take minute to read the Declaration of Independence. It is a ground breaking document and was produced at great risk to the men who wrote and signed it.

God bless the USA and Canada.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Bees and Flowers

I was finally able to look critically at the images I took on our Charlottesville weekend and I found one that showed a bee departing a blossom. I spent a lot of time and took quite a few images to actually get this shot. I had fun and I learned that bees do not dawdle when they are preparing for lift off. It is a pretty sudden event.

I enjoyed the variety of blooms that day in the gardens, but watching the bees go about their business added an extra measure of interest to the activity.

I also experimented with depth of field and tried to isolate specific parts of what I saw on a soft background. I like the image here for the components.

It was a great weekend in retrospect and now that I am beginning to enjoy the images we took, I can remember it that much better.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Life in the Slow Lane

Sometimes, I wish I could find time to live life in the slow lane. I is a dream anyway.

Afternoon naps, getting out of bed in the morning after 8AM, and taking things at a slow rate rather than the "hair on fire" speed of my normal life.

I'm sure it is good that I have more things to do than time to do them, but on the other hand, I could use a timeout.

That is what vacations are for, right?

Reflection and course correction.

Maybe that is when people decide to retire. When the speed of life exceeds the threshold where we can reasonable expect to keep up with it.

I see two very distinct paths, one is for people who spend their waking day zooming from one thing to another and collapse at the end of the day exhausted and unfulfilled by the crush of the activity. The other path is taken by those who start with an empty calendar and fill in activities they enjoy to complete their day. They may hit the end of the day exhausted, too, but they feel fulfilled by the activities they completed.

So, I've been traveling the superhighway of life--the I-95, six lanes wide, full of traffic and limited by few off ramps.

I need to find the back road, where every turn presents opportunity for stopping and places to explore at a less than hectic pace.

Ideally, I could merge these two concepts into a long term approach where I hop on the superhighway for a bit, but then drive along the rolling byway for a time as well.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Freedom in Crisis

I don't want to be an alarmist--but I am concerned about our civil freedoms being squeezed more and more every day.

I read this somewhat frightening article about the TSA Now Storming Public Places 8,000 Times a Year.  I am concerned about the information presented in this article. The potential for abuse is astounding.

Here are the opening paragraphs from the article:

Americans must decide if, in the name of homeland security, they are willing to allow TSA operatives to storm public places in their communities with no warning, pat them down, and search their bags.  And they better decide quickly.

Bus travelers were shocked when jackbooted TSA officers in black SWAT-style uniforms descended unannounced upon the Tampa Greyhound bus station in April with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and federal bureaucrats in tow.

And the article goes on--but I think what I extracted sets the stage for my concern--

Conducting these types of activities, not in response to any specific threat, borders upon unreasonable search and seizure--and a violation of our 4th Amendment rights.  Sorry--that is how I feel. 

The vision of black uniformed, jackbooted, military-style personnel swooping into a public place is an image that I compare with what I have read about WWII and Germany.  Are we really trying to control our "free" society?

Are we as free as we believe we are? Do you have your personal identification papers on you?

No--it is clear that we have ceded away many of our rights and there is a move afoot to further limit our rights.  Years ago, there would have been a huge public outcry if a small army of government agents descended upon a public place without suspicion of wrong doing.  Now, we barely bat an eye-lash and chalk it up to security.

A recent poll placed Maryland at the very bottom of personal freedoms in a ranking of the 50 states. New Hampshire (land of "Live Free or Die") ranked highest.

Where is the boundary line? The line between liberty and police state? Between reasonable and unreasonable search and seizure?

Between the Constitution and totalitarianism?

Coming soon to your home? The men in black? We've read the stories in the news already.

I bet I'm on TSA's list now.

Monday Musings - June 27, 2011

1. The sun has been playing games with me lately. Every time I get into the pool ready to enjoy it's warmth, it goes behind the sun. when it get out, it returns and begins heating things up again.

2. The hydrangea that ate Elkridge lives in my garden. It is huge!


3. The vacation season really begins to ramp up this week. We are busy almost continuously through the end of July.

4. I heard that gas prices are supposed to drop 50 cents a gallon by summer's end due to release of oil from the strategic reserve.

5. I just noticed, as I was writing the previous item, that the symbol we used to use for "cents" is not on my iPad. I wonder where it went?

6. I read a scary article about the TSA the other day. I will blog about it this week.

7. I am continually amazed at how quickly weekends seem to slip away. At the beginning of the weekend on Friday evening there are so many plans and the days ahead are like an open book. But, by Sunday evening, sitting exhausted in a vegetative state in front of the TV watching a mindless movie, the weekend has passed and taken a far different direction than that envisioned on Friday evening. It is true that life is what happens while we are making plans.

8. And here we are on the week before a holiday weekend, waiting for the holiday and struggling to get through the week.

9. I hooked up the automatic sprinklers Saturday and it is kind of uncanny sitting here listening to the sound of running water surging through the pipes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Orioles baseball in June

Friday night, Chris and I went to see the Orioles play the Cincinnati Reds at Camden Yards. It was rumored that the last time the O's and the Reds played in Baltimore was during the 1970 World Series. Baltimore won that World Series.

The evening was awesome temperature and humidity-wise. It was 88 degrees and 35 percent humidity to begin the game. The teams were ready to play baseball and it looked like the O's were going to have an easy time with the Reds, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. But nothing comes easy these days and the score became tied in the 6th inning at 4-4 and remained that way until the 12th inning when in addition to the planned fireworks after the game, Derrek Lee hit a walkoff home run leading off the bottom of the inning.

The fireworks were great too and over 45,000 Orioles faithful witnessed a rare extra-inning win.



The evening was complete with fireworks on and off the field.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Saturday at the pool

Lucas brought his parents along to the pool for some fun and enjoyment this afternoon. Of course, our electronics started to get in the way of the actual swimming after a while. The afternoon was cool and the sun was intermittent.
But Luke sure enjoyed the slide.

Weekend in Virginia

We headed out last Saturday for a weekend trip to Charlottesville to enjoy some history and wine. We were accompanied by Patrick and Tina who were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that it was just one year ago that they were married--but it is true.

The ride to Charlottesville was slower than usual, and it took three hours to get to Monticello where we started our day. But despite the ever present threat of storms, the weather held and we had a great time exploring Jefferson's house and grounds. I always learn something more on return trips.

Chris and Patrick at Horton Winery

And then, about 3pm it was off to a couple of wineries. Being close, we chose Jefferson winery and Blenheim Winery. We also spent some time looking for another winery, but never could find it. Funny how lack of a data signal on AT&T can really mess up plans.

Jefferson continues to be a body factory where people are moved through as quickly as possible. The wines are OK but not really of the quality that their pricing would suggest. The whites are better than the reds. The tasting room really needs a major overhaul to be able to accommodate the hoards of people. I did purchase some viognier, vin rouge, and a couple bottles of the meritage.

Then it was off to Blenheim. Not for the wines, but for the view. This winery offers perhaps the best views of any in the region. The wines are fairly simple and not complex. I bought a red, their best and passed on everything else. I found that they were serving their whites too cold, and so they were showing up in my glass with no nose and in my mouth with no taste. I do enjoy their tasting room and the spectacular views of the vineyards and the hills.

From there we spent an hour trying to find another place, but gave up. Then it was off to the hotel and then dinner at the Bonefish Grill, which was very nice and enjoyable.

All in all, it was a great day. Sunday, was equally as great and we made a great discovery, which I will write about later.

Happy anniversary P&T... And many more.

Early Morning Around the Pool

I was outside early Wednesday morning--working around the pool just after 5AM getting it ready for the afternoon End of the School; Year Party--depending of course on the thunderstorms which while forecast never materialized. And the party was a smashing success. Although I was late getting there because Ethan broke his arm and needed some Pop-pop help.

After the Party

The light was just beginning to grace the eastern sky as I was out there working and I could see bats chasing their meals above me in the twilight sky.

The automatic pool cleaner needed to come out of the pool as I had let it run overnight to get everything as ready as possible for the day ahead. Work, party, and sleep. What a combination.

I remember the morning--it was humid, with some rain falling during the night and the temperature staying in the 70's. The smells hanging in the air were familiar summer smells of mown grass and decaying plant matter. I considered, for a moment, jumping into the pool for an early morning swim--but for some reason thought better of it and decided to stay dry. I think the thought of going inside to the air conditioned house and being cold was the primary reason, and I didn't have enough time to stay outside and dry off.

Chris did a day trip to NYC with Jodie and Troy yesterday. I am glad that she is not only able to hit the road now that school is over, but that her attendance with them is wanted. There are some big decisions that are going to need to be made--and she has a way of helping to cut through the noise and get to the root of the issue at hand.

It was too bad the O's had a day off last night because it would have been a good evening to sojurn to the ballpark for a game--but there is always next week. I am going to a game tonight AND they are in town next week while Chris is planned to be away again.

Maybe I should jump into the pool next time I'm out there early in the morning. Why? Just because.

Last Northern Goshawk Killed

I read an article yesterday in the Baltimore Sun which really made me sad and outraged.

It was about a bird--but it shows that people are still really ignorant about some things--and among those things are wildlife, ecology, being green , and preserving life.

The article was about the last northern goshawk in the state of Maryland being killed. Actually, the headline was incorrect--because actually the last four were killed if you count the three dead chicks in the nest.

Why would someone shoot a bird--just because?

I guess because people shoot people, just because.

And it makes me sad that we, as a species, are so short-sighted and ignorant.

I love birds--and especially raptors. They bring a lot of joy to my heart as I watch them do something magnificent that I cannot do--and that is fly.  God blessed them with flight.

The loss of this bird and her chicks is something that will likely become a mere footnote in the history books of extinct species some day. I remember reading about passenger pigeons and how they darkened the skies, until they were hunted to extinction.

And now, I 've had to read about the last northern goshawk.

We must change or we will follow in their now silent footsteps.

Ethan starts summer with a break

The Cast is Put On

One of the three princes has started out summer vacation much like his mother did many years ago, by breaking his arm. Ethan is a trooper though and kept a good sense of humor through it all.

I was even there to provide moral support.

So much for summer.

Travel, Hotels, and Water

Of course, they really do go together.  In a perfect world, I would be traveling to a hotel on the water in some tropical place.

Oh--I am going to be doing that in less than three weeks.

Flowers at Monticello

But really, last weekend's trip to Charlottesville was exciting because I had the opportunity to play with the camera again and attempt to take some interesting images--and not just of buildings. I tried to get one of a bee on a flower--I wanted to get it just with the bee either landing or taking off. Lesson learned: those guys are faster than my finger is on the shutter!

Who knew bees were that quick--OK, I did as I have been stung a lot when I thought I could brush them off.

'Tis but a flesh wound!

So the travel season is upon us and I am planning to travel a bit, although, it dawned upon me yesterday that my wife is traveling more and enjoying it more than I am. Between bus trips to New York City and flying to Ithaca, I can hardly keep up with her.

And as for water--I love vacations with water involved. I know that next year I am going to have to bite the bullet and go to the big ditch (Grand Canyon) but hey, who knows maybe we can do some rafting on the Colorado River.

YeeHaa!!

Summer Begins

It is much like a movie--and so it begins. At 1:13pm EDT officially summer begins.

Yay.

As most of you know I have been waiting for this day since September of last year.

The pool is open. The lawns are mowed. The heat is slowly being turned up outside and the trees and grass are green.

I am already enjoying the summer, even though it has barely begun. But last evening as I was cleaning the pool, I enjoyed the idea that the clear water possessed the capability to provide so much enjoyment and fun. And yes, I did take a quick dip even though the temperatures were only in the 70's.

But July and August are ahead.

And so is the heat and the ever oppressive dog days.

The next up holiday is the 4th of July.

And then, shortly after that it is off to to St Lucia and a much needed vacation.

The fireflies were out again last evening, too. Truly summertime is with us despite the slowness of the calendar.

Th first pool party of the summer is tomorrow. Bring it on.

And it all begins early this afternoon.

Monday Musings - June 20, 2011

1. I am amazed how much history is within such a short drive of our home. Battlefields, decisive happenings, and the homes of four of the first five Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. We really owe a lot to the Virginians.

2. Wine brings people together for conversation, laughter, and fun.

3. Chris was a trooper this weekend, she rode in the backseat all weekend as we traveled around.

4. Be wary of the GPS, they are not as smart as they would have you believe.

5. Rain is a game changer. Embrace it.

6. Organizational picnics, softball, and dunk tanks go together, so don't be surprised when you, too get wet.

7. Makayla loves to go for rides in the car. One word, road-trip and she is all about getting into the car for a ride. I don't know why she gets so excited, but it may have something to do with not being left behind. I don't like being lef behind, either.

8. I suffered through a pop quiz this weekend at Monticello and only got partial credit for my answer to the question: How tall was Thomas Jefferson? I said six foot two inches. The correct answer was six foot two and a half inches.

9. This is now my second blog entry from my new iPad. I'm still getting used to it, but it works not all that bad, although pictures are a problem that I still need to address.

10. Thank you to my family for a wonderful Father's Day. I'm sorry that many of you couldn't spend time with me, but knowing that you wanted to really warmed my heart. Thanks for calling and making me feel loved and for loving me enough to allow me to go off on a wine/history weekend and miss spending some all-too-short time with you.

11. And so another week begins as the year slides into half gone and the sun climbs to it's most northerly position in the sky tomorrow. Summer is upon us and it is all downhill from here.

Out the hotel window -Charlottesville

It was a great day yesterday. We decided to take a weekend away and used some travel points I had to get a hotel and zipped, more like slogged our way in heavy traffic, to Charlottesville, VA for an infusion of history and some wine.

Out my hotel window is pretty boring a sight, but at least we do not face another building directly.  And the sky is visible. I can see the humidity hanging in the air this morning and I know it is going to be a very humid day.

Yesterday we enjoyed Monticello again. I continue to be fascinated by Jefferson and I learn something more every time I visit. The last time I was here, it seemed they focused upon Jefferson the intellectual. This time, they were very apologetic for Jefferson the slave owner.

We did manage three wineries yesterday and bought a few bottles to share.

Today, more wine and some time with James and Dolley Madison.

Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there!

Winnebago or Bust

There was a time, not too many years ago, when my dream of retirement was wrapped up in a huge motor home towing my car behind me on the open road headed to wherever my heart desired.

I would see those big RVs on the highway and begin salivating in my mind about how to acquire one to experience the freedom they represented.

Ah, the thought of the open road--by the way, have you seen an open road lately? Mine are all jammed with traffic and patrolled by police looking to supplement the state coffers by writing as many nuisance tickets as they possibly can. The other day, I saw three of them patrolling a five-mile stretch of Route 100. Ugh!

Now though, the dream is gone. I do not see these behemoths of the highway as being any fun at all. Slow, gas guzzling, hard to park, huge to drive RVs that lumber along and surely cannot be any fun at all in city driving areas.

It all just doesn't seem to be any fun to me now.

Big vehicles, lumbering along and congested highways.

Maybe a couple decades ago--but now, I'd rather fly, get to my destination and enjoy time not on the road.

I guess I've lost the dream. Maybe I just realize that the roads are not getting any less congested.

And then, I haven't listened to Willie Nelson sing "On the Road Again" in a really long while.

Green Evening

Sitting on the deck last evening, watching the rain fall straight down from the sky to water the plants and the lawn, I realized that one of the things that I love about summer is the green.  The leaves on the trees make a rolling, enveloping canopy of green that envelopes my mind and helps me to relax after a particularly hectic day.

Of course the glass of wine in my hand assisted in that effort as well.

I would not be well suited to live in a desert environment--of that I am sure--I prefer green leaves to ubiquitous sand. 

In addition to being a comforting sight in the trees, the green backdrop also serves to highlight the colors of the flowers around the yard, like the hibiscus that Chris imaged the other day. We winter these plants in the house to enjoy their blooms year after year--during the winter season parts of the house look like a greenhouse--but as soon as the weather warms--outside they go to begin recovering from the less than ideal growing conditions we subject them to from November to about April. But they survive, and this plant is over 10 years old--having made it through a number of those dark seasons in the house.

This year, we have a few additional treats around the yard as well. At least two families of wrens have decided that we have a pleasurable environment and the young birds are now heading out on their own--although still staying pretty close to their parents. They are fun to watch as they fly single file from one tree to another and then squawk at the cats who are contained within the fence in the yard. For such small birds they sure can squawk and sing loudly.

But looking at the leaves and the different shades of green and blue-green that they add to the canvass of the world is also enjoyable. I remember the bare limbs of the winter ready trees, and now these green, leaf laden trees are a beautiful sight to enjoy. I want to keep it etched into my mind--long into the dark days of winter.