Little Rhodie

Walking back from the beach, Lillie finds a pair of maple tree seeds. They make a fine mooo-stache, no?

We look for things to do that we didn't do last year. Our friend Deborah, Lillie and I made our way across the island to Sweetberry Farm where raspberries were in full season.
I'm not a huge fruit person, so raspberries aren't on the top of my list of fruits to pursue, but, it was a perfect day with blue skies and temps in the mid 70s so how could we not go berry picking? We found the farm in no time (well, after circling the beach a few times). Crops on either side as we drove in, fruit trees still blooming, an old farmhouse, turned a corner and there it was--the updated farmhouse. Walking inside we slowed just for a minute--the front room was full of delectable treats-home made cheeses, ice creams, jellies, chutneys, and breads. In the garden room were home made pastries, sandwiches, coffees, teas and shelves of books from local authors, small gifts, and tables to rest.

We made it to the raspberry field to pick our on berries and Lillie was thrilled. We walked the rows of bushes, picking many of the small berries only to refine our harvesting to the deep fuchsia colored ones... I was instantly in love with fresh raspberries. My limited experience with this fruit has been berries in sad plastic containers in the stores filled with faded berries. Their flavor faint and bitter and not what I would call even remotely tasty. So you can see why I wasn't all aboard wanting to graze the rows and rows of bursting-with-spring-flavor offerings. (This photo of Lillie graced the web page of Sweetberry Farms for several weeks.) We ate fresh berries with every meal, including breakfast coffee for the next few days... how lucky were we!!

I booked Brent and I for a sunset cruise on the schooner Aquidneck. Having grown up sailing, I thought this was a great treat to surprise him with--and it was. Lillie stayed with Deborah and Brent and I eagerly boarded the schooner.



They also encourage visitors to help out, so I volunteered Brent to help raise one of the sails. It was so wonderful to be able to see the town we have fallen in love with from another vantage point.

Deborah and I went to the annual flower show at Rosecliff Mansion, one of the amazing mega mansions from the late 1800s. Many were destroyed and the few that remain are breathtaking. There are tours with all of the mansions and we decided to make that a treat for another time. The flora arrangement here was bigger than any I've ever seen.



Since we were there so early in their spring, the roses were just coming on with their first bloom. The fog left its calling card on all of the flowers making photo taking a must. We strolled the back area where vendors had set up tents for their merchandise. We touched leather riding boots from Ireland, linen shirts and skirts from New York, beautiful purses and bags made with leather tanned in Italy... we found amazing pottery made by Lark and made a new friend as we visited with Lark and her mother Barbara. Lark invited us to attend a garden lecture by a friend of hers, Kent Russell, a garden guru of that part of the country. And he didn't disappoint. His charisma exploded seconds after beginning his talk and he didn't slow until after it was over. I wish I could have purchased every plant he offered that day... and brought him home to do my gardens!

Finally, the evening before our last day, we made it to the cemetery. This particular one straddles one of the main roads into town and ever since our first night last year I've wanted to visit and photograph this place. Many of the headstones were faint and I could only guess the date on them, but some that I could make out were from the 1500s. At first I thought they were made of wood in that you could see the layers of material that made up the head stone, but Brent told me it was slate.

This was a grand statue, the angel majestic and watching over her part of the cemetery. Larger than life and breath taking. It was really very calming to walk through and feel the peace, calm and gentle otherworldliness of the place.

The final photo of the evening--Bunnicula. Ever seen a more menacing cotton tail??

I am out of words about our visit and full of emotion. Brent stays on there in Nirvana until the end of summer. While he claims to miss us and that it's just not the same without us, I know he is enjoying a mild eastern summer of rains, lower temps, and the people who live near and on the water.

There will be another summer of exploration for us next year and the next. I don't know if I can make the jump of relocating--winters there would definitely either make or break me and with my dislike of cold weather, I can imagine I would be running back to Texas once the temps dipped below 70....

Baltimore to Newport

For this summer's adventure to Rhode Island, we flew into Baltimore and planned to drive to Newport. We got up early in order to be packed and ready to hit the airport by 7am. Notice I didn't say 'awake'! We slept on the flight and after landing in Baltimore rented a car and headed north to Rhode Island!

An hour into the drive (and totally NOT out of Baltimore by much) the a/c went out on the car. Between Brent's new Iphone and my Pixi navigation apps, we found another rental and headed out in a nicer vehicle. We stopped at several mega rest stops that looked like mall food courts on steroids (chaos and noise and neon OH MY!!!). After our last pit stop, we noticed Lillie had grown suspiciously quiet. When I looked into the back seat, she and Bunny were fast asleep.



We made it into Newport (home sweet summer home!!) before midnight and our friends Deborah and Magno were waiting up and surprised us when we walked through the door. What a homecoming!!!

The following day, we couldn't wait to get to the beach. The familiar scents, curvature of the bay, rocks, gulls--spiritual familiarity.









While we may not be staying as long as we did last year, it's as if time stood still and the relationship was still breathing, still alive, nurtured and fed by my memories...

A Nature Walk

Spring has come and gone. It was a little later than in past years, and didn't stay as long as I had hoped. I spent my driving time taking photos of the wild flowers. On the way to work and stuck in traffic? Grab the camera and take some photos.

Of course the people behind you may not be thrilled when they're held up for a second or two... but hey, makes for great entertainment.

Walking around the gardens at home, the native agarita is now in fruit. The yellow blooms of a few weeks ago have been replaced with berries, which the resident mocking bird has claimed for his own. I call this particular photo "Nature's Christmas Lights".

Fawns are a common sight now, but, back in early May, this little one was one of the first. Brent watched he and his mom come to the front yard and he managed to lay under the van. Mama wasn't excited about his choice of rest spots and she worried him to move. I ran for my camera and found them on the other side of the vehicles beside the fence. As I poked my head around the truck, he saw me and flattened himself as much as possible. Mama wasn't concerned, but he was doing what he was supposed to--hide at all costs.

Mama continued to move through the yard and little man ended up splayed in the middle of the driveway (remember Bambi and the iced over pond??). I slowly walked from inside, picked him up, smelled his newborn head (they have no scent!), and placed him under an oak tree where he immediately flattened himself in hopes I would just leave. Mama found him, gave him a good bath (to removed my human stink I'm sure) and they proceeded down the block into a ravine.

I've been worried because she visits daily and hasn't brought him with her. I feared he had died and was feeling a bit sorry for her. Just now I watched her and another doe walk up from the ravine towards the house. I saw two little white tails frolicking behind them and breathed a sigh of relief. He's ok and has a buddy!!

It's hard for me to stay involved with current events--the oil spill in the gulf, the war, the political mess that's going on. It's so much and so hard to come to terms with. I find just going to work, tending to an injured or orphaned animal, and watching as what I have done for them gives them relief--that's something I can hold on to. A young raccoon separated from her mother and scared and defensive and growly... all she needs to know is she is in a safe place. Some fluids and a stuffed animal and a little quiet time does so much to ease her fears. A tiny white winged dove found on a sidewalk after a huge storm is brought in. He gets quiet, warmth, and fluids and quickly goes to sleep. The pigeon that comes in with a broken wing trying valiantly to defend himself by flapping the other is given quiet. His wing is then gently taped into a normal position, pain meds are given, and he is placed in a quiet room to recover and relax.

Those are the tangible acts that I hold on to; the goodness I put out there in hopes that it makes some kind of difference. In some small way. From when I was little and all I wanted to do was rescue ants, or horned toads, or kittens... I remember being in the 5th grade and reading a story about Smokey the Bear and how he came to be (a bear cub trapped in a tree during a forest fire and rescued by a forest ranger) and how I wanted to be a forest ranger--Protector Of the Forest. All animals were safe on my watch. And I day dreamed of walking through the forest, making sure everyone that lived there were living their lives...

Before that, I remember always being outside. Once when I was in the 3rd grade, I climbed on top of our swing set because a crow was flying overhead. I 'cawed' to him and held my arm out. He then landed on my arm and I was stilled by the event. I memorized everything about him--his feet, his face, his feathers. He stayed for what seemed like lifetimes, lifted off and flew into the sky.

We do so many things when we're young; have so many thoughts and ideas of life when we get older. It's been said to be happy as an adult to remember what you loved doing when you were a child. I loved doing many things as a child, but the events that come to me as I sit and listen to the birds outside, are the ones that included animals. And in the last 10 years, native wildlife.

From neonate woodpeckers that instinctively beg for food with their eyes closed;

a Night Heron nestling found on the River Walk; blown out of his nest after a storm;

a found Grey Fox kit;

to a neonate opossum whose mother was killed and he and his pouch mates were found and brought to us. This is my passion.

I've cared for them (and many others) at one time or another. I'm hard on myself for being a 'mature' woman and finding my passion so late, but I know that there are many who never do. On the heels of that thought, I know I am a very lucky person.

Take some time and remember what you were always doing as a child and how it relates to what you do today...

Rocky Mason

Here's Rocky's 2010 spring photo. He's out in the pasture, the day has barely begun and the air is cool. The vultures have yet to begin thermal surfing and the day is still a little on the cloudy side. He knew it was me, slowly walking towards him through the pasture, familiar camera in my hands. He baaa'd just a little in his sheepy baritone. I knelt in front of him when I got there, my face in his face, and he rubbed his knobby head all over me shedding short straight sheep fur all over me. We breathed each other's breaths. And we smiled.

I've written of Rocky many times over the last two years, most recently here. I think about him all of the time. And smile...

Happy Spring Everyone!

What Happened to April???

There goes another one. Another month. Where do they go, the months, whizzing by like like monarchs on their way south for the winter?

Wasn't it just last week that I was in Utah with Barbara? Then Easter with Tango and the rest of my family? And the annual fundraising event at work? And the peach trees were in bloom...


now there are real live peaches on the fully leafed trees... BABY PEACHES!!!! We planted these trees so long ago and have never ever gotten to even taste a peach much less see them ripen. Late freezes, droughts, and one year critters, have denied us the bounty of our teeny orchard.


And the wild flowers have been INSANE!!!!






And the temps are in the mid to high 80s already. I've already missed planting a spring garden--spring is OVER. And besides, the tomatoes Lillie and I did plant were eaten to the ground by some mystery visitor to the garden. Probably the same on who ate her green bean plant to the dirt and most of the antique rose...

Happy Easter

Utah

It's been 15 or so years since I visited Utah. The last time, I had a 4 year old boy with me. Need I say more? Driving to Mapleton this time was a joy--mountains as far as you could see--at least eastwards. And snow on the tops of them, like a postcard.

This is Maple mountain. This is the view out of Barbara's kitchen window. Every morning, all day long, every evening.


This is the view from Barbara's front yard looking towards the back yard. I KNOW!!!
What's wonderful is that everyone here can tell the weather by watching the mountains. The other day, we walked into the mall and the sun was shining. As we were leaving, we looked out the doors and there was snow coming down, horizontally! We'd seen the storm coming--the clouds were low and grey and threatening, even as the sun peeked through them.

Crocus are one of my favorite flowers, right behind lily of the valley. I got here just in time to watch them flower... these are the prettiest.


And this is the resident feline, Mateo. The most loving boy cat I've met. He reminds me of the Alice In Wonderland (the new one) Cheshire Cat. He is a man of few words, but those he does utter are brilliant!!


Antelope Island, Great Salt Lake, Utah












And I've furthered my love for the corvidae family by embracing and chasing the local magpies. While Barbara and I were out running errands, and if one just happened to come into or fly across our view, I would squeal "magpie magpie magpie" and clap my hands like a giddy 4 year old. So what. That's what my heart felt like!!


And on my last morning there, big fat fluffy flakes of snow began to fall. And continued throughout the day.


This time, I was able to slow down and enjoy my visit. I took the time and allowed Utah to settle on my heart. And I came away a better person. And very nostalgic.

A Journey out West-ish

My girl Sandy

I am going on an adventure.

It's going to be an Amazing Adventure.

I am going to visit my friend Barbara. I am overlooking the drama and trauma of air travel (and decidedly will not go on a rant about it today) and look forward to the landing and meeting--the ensuing squeals and tears and laughter, and the following week of sharing her life. Of reconnecting. Of making new memories and refining the old ones. Of meeting her children and getting to know her grandchildren...

A stay-near-home girl like me doesn't make many of these kinds of opportunities. My last journey was attending Art & Soul two years ago in Portland, Oregon (the most amazing art retreat ever!). I stayed 4 days and when I finally made it to the coast I almost didn't come home (I'm sure I would have found the fastest way home the minute the temps dipped below 70!!). I made fabulous art and met fabulous people whom I still stay in contact with, albeit electronically.

So to call me 'well traveled' isn't even close. 'Happily traveled' feels better.

The Family here will go along--Lillie will stay current on everything everyone needs to be doing and she will be reminding everyone on upcoming scheduling. She's good like that.

I will update as I can, take as many photos as the batteries will allow, and soak up the desert atmosphere.

I am so excited!!!

Portent Portal

Driving the back roads again on my way home. The day had been a little long--getting up and ready to go with Dad to his chemo appointment. Hurry there to linger until 3pm, watching other chemo patients come and go. Some get iron for their deficient systems, some get extra plasma, but everyone's there for the same reason, cancer. My take on cancer used to be immediate death. A friend wasn't feeling well, went to the Dr, was diagnosed with cancer and died the following week. That's the cancer I've known.

This time around it's personal. This time around it's my Dad. This was his 5th chemo treatment and we're hoping his last for awhile. A day to relax into the process, to nap and doze through the morning and into the afternoon. As much as one can with bells from the IV machines, loud TVs (why are the speakers on the back of those personal sized TVs and not on the front?), and patient's families trying to converse over the din of noise. And we were able to nap. Dad longer than I. Perhaps not from being tired but more of a defense mechanism--sleep vs enduring the mind numbing tick of the clock as time passed oh so slowly, measured by the inaudible drip of the IV.

Hopefully this last treatment will put his cancer in remission. It will never go away, we just want to arrest it enough so that it won't spread... that's The Plan. And hopefully Dad will begin living his life being the gregarious man with the best sense of humor ever, again.




Not 5 miles away from Dad's, on the way home, talking with my sister on the phone, I saw her. The red tail from the previous post. I watched as she landed on the telephone pole. I slowed my driving to almost a stop. At the same time, I grabbed my camera bag from the back and began to fumble for the camera. I dropped the phone and laughed as I told my sister I would call her back, that I needed to get this shot (better than running off the road trying to do it all!).

Red Tail Girl wasn't as patient as she was last time and didn't wait until I was completely stopped and focused before leaving. She flew to a tree not far away and landed. As I drove slowly I noticed the nest beside her (did she purposely show me?). I have driven this road so many times over the last few years and not once did I notice the barren tree with a stick cluster near the heart of the tree. I aimed my camera and off she flew again.



I had goosebumps from the weight of what I experienced. The day with my Dad, the long afternoon watching people going through procedures to lengthen their lives even just a little and ease their worries however much, and this--a glance into what might be, new lives living in the wild... hope for the future.

Inside and Outside

Inside--

"What. Do. You. Want.?!"This is Picasso. He is a dilute orange tabby cat with a LARGE personality. For the most part he tolerates people, meaning when he wants attention, love, or pats, he will let you know. Otherwise, just leave him alone.
Now I totally 'get' Picasso because we are not so different. I find I enjoy my own company and there are times that I choose to share me with my friends. I call myself an 'arteest'. (I have no idea what my friends call me. But I know what I tell myself--that I am their inspiration...)

Picasso lives in the building where I work. This day he and Mama cat (the other feline resident) had had a disagreement (translation: Picasso was mad and took it out on poor unsuspecting Mama. 5 times). Afterwards, he was pretty much being cranky to everyone. So he chose me to visit and ended up laying behind my laptop.


Before you get all mushy and think this was sooo cute, let me just tell you that no, it wasn't cute. He was a crank and as a full blown red-head-on-the-edge-of-anger, decided that my typing was ANNOYING. Stray swats appeared repeatedly around my laptop, shredding my fingers and hands with rapier sharp Claws of Death. Knowing he only wanted to Duel, I rubbed his temples to dis-arm him. He was so disgusted with such a looser opponent that he left in a huff and flicked his tail with total disdain.


Outside--

Winter has settled in the Texas hill country for the last week or so. Heavy clouds and fog sit on hill tops--

runs along valleys--

and eases along roads and fence lines--

I've driven quite a bit through the hill country over the last week and even in darkness the fog and mist seem to be a comfort. Although I am not fond of grey days and cold one bit, no sir, not me, I have somehow accepted (to a degree and ) this Winter. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe I've just realized that with weather you just have to endure. Eventually spring will come. Eventually the lows will be in the 70s and the highs will be 90 and above... kind of like labor with the end result of delivery being a sweet bouncing baby... then there's summer like a gnarly, mouthy, hormonal teen-ager; and winter like a, well, tired middle aged mother.... ooooooooh that went somewhere I didn't expect!!!

Traveling this past week, driving down a long highway, I came upon this youngster on a telephone pole. Several minutes after I pulled over to photograph her, she decided enough was enough.


She skreed when as she flew and I got THE SHOT.

Not bad for a tired middle aged mother.... in winter.