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.