I'm so tired.
After the past year of doorstep living I'm about flat beat.
I am signing off until I get some new ideas.
Peace and love to ya'll and always look to the stars.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
blood orange land
Mother Nature is always full of surprises. February and March are drastic times here in my niche of the bigger universe. Damp, then dry, 80 deg, wonderfully sunny and the weekend rolls around and we are again 'seasonal'.
Perhaps not so much the less glamourous Prickly Pear.
The prickly pear is everywhere, along with blooming almond and lemon trees. Acres of orange groves nestle next to well-tended vineyards. Ancient Roman and Greek ruins carved the landscape, sentinels of a glorious past.
My psyche is still in Sicily, the grounded me at rest at home, but with visions of exotica still dancing in my head.
Agriculture is alive and well on this island. Soils, built over hundreds of years of volanic activity, lend the right fertility to the land.
The grande dame Mt Etna simmers among the clouds in the distance by day.
Sicily is a land of treasures, and while wandering through many norman gothic cathedrals, delights are just overhead.
And any place with a few spare boats is okay too.
But she did pack a little punch into the oranges over Palermo-way.
I have become a desperate devotee of the blood orange.
I have become a desperate devotee of the blood orange.
Perhaps not so much the less glamourous Prickly Pear.
The prickly pear is everywhere, along with blooming almond and lemon trees. Acres of orange groves nestle next to well-tended vineyards. Ancient Roman and Greek ruins carved the landscape, sentinels of a glorious past.
My psyche is still in Sicily, the grounded me at rest at home, but with visions of exotica still dancing in my head.
Agriculture is alive and well on this island. Soils, built over hundreds of years of volanic activity, lend the right fertility to the land.
The grande dame Mt Etna simmers among the clouds in the distance by day.
Sicily is a land of treasures, and while wandering through many norman gothic cathedrals, delights are just overhead.
And any place with a few spare boats is okay too.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
the sands of time
One of my favorite places in this world is the SC Lowcountry and topping my list of coastal haunts, Hunting Island ranks high.
The island and its cabins have hosted many combinations of family and friends over the past 2 decades. I first discovered it by happenstance when I was staying at a B&B in Beaufort in '88 over a New Years holiday. The husband of a friend of mine in Charleston had been lucky enough to be a park ranger there in the late seventies and had always talked about the beauty of the place.
In the ensuing years, our family has rented many of the cabins and a private rental or two. I've tent camped in the campground which is a wonderful place, if you can deter the mosquito and no-see-um populations.
After hearing a lot of doom and gloom accounts of recent devastation, a visit was in order.
I have to say I was pretty shocked -our favorite cabins, 9 and 10, are history, claimed by the tides and beach erosion. Cabin Road that once ran the length of the beach front is impassable towards the south end. A twisted new road has been cut through the maritime forest allowing access to the 'new' cabins built at the mouth of the lagoon.
A house that used to be on Cabin Road - now perched on the beach
It was a gray day and the dreary weather didn't do much to elevate my mood of mourning.
Looking north up the beach -
The beach is returning to 'the look', we first saw when HI was new to us. Very natural and primeval.
Federal funding was secured to try to stem the erosion in 2005 and several groins were added. Sadly, the beach front lost another 50 feet of beach last year.
We left the island a bit remorseful but will return on a sunnier day - maybe pitch the 'puppy tent' once again and fish in warmer waters.
The island and its cabins have hosted many combinations of family and friends over the past 2 decades. I first discovered it by happenstance when I was staying at a B&B in Beaufort in '88 over a New Years holiday. The husband of a friend of mine in Charleston had been lucky enough to be a park ranger there in the late seventies and had always talked about the beauty of the place.
In the ensuing years, our family has rented many of the cabins and a private rental or two. I've tent camped in the campground which is a wonderful place, if you can deter the mosquito and no-see-um populations.
After hearing a lot of doom and gloom accounts of recent devastation, a visit was in order.
I have to say I was pretty shocked -our favorite cabins, 9 and 10, are history, claimed by the tides and beach erosion. Cabin Road that once ran the length of the beach front is impassable towards the south end. A twisted new road has been cut through the maritime forest allowing access to the 'new' cabins built at the mouth of the lagoon.
A house that used to be on Cabin Road - now perched on the beach
It was a gray day and the dreary weather didn't do much to elevate my mood of mourning.
Looking north up the beach -
The beach is returning to 'the look', we first saw when HI was new to us. Very natural and primeval.
Federal funding was secured to try to stem the erosion in 2005 and several groins were added. Sadly, the beach front lost another 50 feet of beach last year.
We left the island a bit remorseful but will return on a sunnier day - maybe pitch the 'puppy tent' once again and fish in warmer waters.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
New Year's Day
My usual walking haunt was closed for the day (arrggg... ) Perhaps the park staff was taking down their miles of Christmas lights. I should never complain about taking down my 2 strands of Christmas lights after imaging what a task they must have. We drove over to Scenic River Spot #2. A hop, skip and a jump over the dam and minutes from my house lays this bit of Saluda River. It is even more splendid when it is 98 degrees and you can sit in the stream and cool off.
Motte likes it, too!
Such an explorer, that guy ! The best the New Year has to offer for you all!
Monday, December 29, 2008
and god bless us, evry' one
Merry Christmas and the best of holidays to everyone I missed this year. I sure missed this guy this time around.
To try to capture the spirit of the season, I'm dredging up some way too old photos to try to capture a few holiday memories. The best I can do is try to do some clumsy and probably foolish editing with my free Hp photo software that got installed on my .mac when I got the printer online. It has long since gone south (said printer) and with it, all fluid editing skills. Since I figure on putting things together all day, it's sometimes a bother pulling and pasting with that tool. When I get home. When I want to relax.
And who is that on Santa's lap? Is that some neighborhood kid's Dad dressed up like St Nick?
Pretty spooky stuff, ya'll. I wonder what I was whispering in his ear back then? It send chills down my spine. From the looks of the kooky hat, this was the Madison, Wi., era, town of my birth.
Here's another one from memory lane -
That's me, with the pixie haircut, all excited about my new gun? What the hell is going on here? Giving mere children guns ..... on Christmas? Call James Brown, somebody please. This surely must be against the law in the state of Wi., but I'm not so sure about the state I live in now, though.
This is more of the Oklahoma City look. Daddy has on his famous red sweater. Our dachsund gave it to him as a Christmas gift that year, which means it was probably really from our mom.
And what is Becky so intrigued in? Looks like one of those Mattel disc pool games.
I've always been gaga over footwear, so note the earlier ensemble effect with the slippers I've got on - pale blue to match the pj's. Guns, pool games?
What kind of crazy childhood was this? The best any kid would ever want.
Happy Holidays, all!
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