JCB

October 16th, 2010. JCB and her gentleman were married at Carlyle House, Alexandria, Virginia. It was a perfect day for a wedding and it would have been her grandfather's 100th birthday.

Waiting

"Waiting"....a tiny little shot from an old camera phone of JCB waiting for her flight in the Bangor airport departure lounge. At the time, she was working on one of her many exquisite needlepoint Christmas decorations. "Waiting"...it seems appropriate this week as I think of her and her gentleman....

Chicken ~ Will you please cut off its head and feet? ~ Random Memory #21 ~ Iran

Scene from a self sufficient Mayan kitchen garden, Santa Helena, Campeche, Mexico. Taken January, 2009.

Random Memory #21 ~ Iran

There is a big difference from those long ago days of sitting through a language class because you were supposed to...because it's expected, to desperately needing to communicate your most basic needs. One of the first things I did after arriving in Tehran was to attend Farsi classes at the Iran America Society. I inhaled the language with its musical lilt and peculiar sounds coming from unused places in the back of my throat. I gulped down vocabulary and became a collector of words. I used each new verb and tense minutes after leaving class and practiced my new skills every day with Goli who helpfully produced an English/Farsi dictionary that was always on hand whenever we were together. 

With time, I became adept at haggling in markets understanding it was as much a social function as the need to obtain a fair price. I bought most of our food at little stalls or street vendors. Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, herbs and so many other things tasted better than anything I had experienced in America, but acquiring everything I needed to produce a home cooked meal was time consuming. There were no tidily wrapped cellophane packages of meat. I bought freshly killed chickens and was grateful they were plucked! I learned to squeeze my eyes shut and yank out the internal organs, but how I hated their limp dead necks, dull yellow beaks and scaly feet. I learned the verb "to cut" and asked the chicken man to "please cut off the head and feet." He would practically roll on the ground every time he heard my request, but he did it.

谢谢你！亲爱的。~ The Power of Images

                   Little dog enjoying a Starbucks outing in Washington, D.C.  

The Chinese characters in the title mean "Thank you! Dear"  and is one of a series of comments under the photo above on Flickr. The image is nothing special, just a lucky zoom shot at Starbucks, but the human/canine relationship is universal. For months now, my Chinese friend and I have relied on "Google Translate" to communicate in words, a relationship that began with pictures of our very different worlds. I have seen indescribable scenes of Chinese antiquity, breathtaking views of the countryside, glorious temples and Holiday shots of the Great Wall on her photo stream. My friend has photographed her office and the park where she rides her bike and, through her eyes, I have seen festivals and family celebrations. In return, she has come to know the beauty of my small town and coastal life in Maine. My blog is closed to her; she is not allowed access. She is one of many contacts all across the globe, all of us united by the wonder of each other's photographs. Our governments and politicians should take note.

"Thank you! Dear."

Today's link from "You Must Remember This!"

Tell Me You Don't Remember....

Do you remember how to slide down a steep bank and balance precariously on a wobbly rock?

Do you remember watching yellow leaves and glistening sticks float by in small streams and the colors in wet rocks that look like a troll's treasure?

Do you remember the swirling foam and the feel of slick rocks under your feet and a time when there was nothing else to do?

The Mill Stream in Blue Hill, Maine.

Playing With Picnic

Gadsby's Tavern, Alexandria, Virginia...I really couldn't resist a little photo editing with this image!



Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Caught! ~ Random Memory #20 ~ Maine

Catching squirrels in the attic, they are then relocated a few miles up the road!

Porcupine in the woods, Brunswick, Maine

This post is inspired by creative commenter, Home Before Dark, and her uneasy relationship with nature in her backyard. I loved her phrase, "Appalled and the night visitors" in the comment section of my previous post.

The abundant wildlife in Maine is stirred into frantic action each spring and autumn. Our depleted feeders light up with the colors of migrating birds, restless skunks perfume the night air and drivers are wary of deer and moose on our country roads. We wake up early to put the trash out so the raccoons will not leave a trail of garbage littered across the dooryard and lawn. Hunters and gatherers are stockpiling food and finding warm nooks and crannies to nest in our attics and basements...and this is where I draw the line. I'm never thrilled by the sight of a rodent inside our house! Peter has caught at least nine squirrels in the attic in his Have a Heart traps and the captives are then transported to a new location. The practice makes everyone feel better, it's humane and, in this way, thousands of rodents crisscross the state to make new friends and babies while improving the gene pool.  We are considerably more ruthless with the staggering number of mice. Nor am I fond of porcupines that strip bark killing our beautiful trees, or when they cause our beloved dogs to go to the vet's surgery to remove painful barbed quills. We are a rural state that has not covered its landscape with urban sprawl invading wildlife habitats, but still, we inevitably clash.

Random Memory #20 ~ Maine

Our Dutch friends, Anneke and Eric have arrived at the airport in Bangor, Maine, exhausted after a long series of flights from their home in Spain. It is an early October evening and the daylight is quickly fading as we drive home to my small coastal village. On the way, there is a stretch of road on RT.15 that makes one feel as if you are a million miles away from civilization prompting Eric to ask if there is a lot of wildlife here. "oh yes" I said, "deer, moose, porcupines, raccoons, bald eagles, skunks...." and, as if on cue, a large dark form charged my car. "Bears" I said over the thud of impact. I didn't hit it very hard and the bruised animal loped off into the woods. Later that night a game warden came  out to inspect the car and pulled a small tuft of fur from my shattered headlight. "Yup, that was a bear" he said.

We had a wonderful time with our friends and, all throughout their visit, saw an extraordinary variety of wildlife on Maine's scenic back roads. Eric teased Peter that he must have stationed people  by the side of the roads to release the creatures at strategic moments, but that the timing with the bear had been just a bit off.

Night Lights

There are nights when sleep eludes me and I am drawn to the lamp light like a moth. The dark walls of the cottage glow and the reflections remind me of the fireflies I used to catch as a child. Those little flashes of light trapped in a glass jar with holes in the lid that I watched until my eyes grew heavy.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

As a post script...Something had an encounter with a skunk outside our bedroom window. Incredibly, I slept through it, but Peter and the dog had a restless night!

Message in a bottle ~ "Sincerely, Jill"

Waning summer, it is a picture perfect September day. Yellow/brown goldenrod in the dense brush dot the shoreline with pops of color from ripening rose hips. There is a brisk breeze and surf crashes on the rocks. Three of us have cameras and I think there is such a thing as too much focus because it is the fourth in our party who finds the sealed bottle lying on the stony beach. Inside are waterlogged jigsaw puzzle pieces which are carefully pried apart and fitted together. The message is from Jill, but the bottle's origin is undecipherable even though much of the day is spent drying and separating the pieces in an effort to unlock Jill's message. A message delivered by wind and water. Was there ever an email, text or tweet with so much charm?

Cottage Industry

"Timonium Tape"

Ryan rolls out a strip of Duck Tape.

The rose pen!

My brand new wallet!


Paige models a Duck Tape hair accessory.

Continuity is one of the great joys of returning to a summer colony year after year. It is difficult to differentiate one season from the next on Mere Point, yet we have grown to know and love three generations of our neighbors in this place. It is really the children who mark the passing of time, although their activities are much the same. They still plunge fearlessly into ice cold water to swim for hours on end, forts are constructed from odd bits of wood (always available!), they turn their faces to the wind in boats, play whiffle ball in the meadow, invent games on rainy days and apply their boundless ingenuity earning a little money to buy Judy's penny candy at the marina.

Blackberries are sold by the side of the road and rocks and shells are painted in bright colors. Beads are strung into bracelets and necklaces more precious than gold. Our cottage dresser drawers are full of these treasures. Sometimes when I hold a small glittering object in my hand, I wonder which year, whose child made this, before replacing the small fragment of history back in its small box, knowing, full well, I'll never be able to "simplify."

Young Paige (10) and Ryan (13) launched "Timonious Tape" this summer creating a rainbow of wondrous accessories made from humble Duck Tape. I was utterly entranced by the business-like brother and sister team and their considerable inventory. Together, they have produced wallets, purses, and whimsically decorated pens which sell briskly, although the entrepreneurs told me the profits are mostly rolled back into the business. I was an eager customer, I always am!

Ryan told me there is an additional benefit working with Duck Tape. It is an excellent way to remove warts!


Duck Tape applied as first aid!

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Washington D.C. Days and Nights

The fitting.

A zoom shot and crop...a little grainy, as if blinking through sand in my eyes. A lump in my throat.


A few stolen days of summer; planning, wishing and waiting for autumn beginnings. Unforgettable D.C. days and memorable sunsets from a rooftop garden.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Marking Time With Crabapples

For JCB. See you soon!

Images for a Stormy Day

Light and color for all those under gray skies.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Calm Before the Storm

Heat haze on Casco Bay.

Osprey nest on the dock. Upper Goose Island, Casco Bay, Maine.

The coolest place in Maine today was out on the water. We aren't used to ninety plus degree temperatures in Maine, especially in September! Some schools canceled classes yesterday and today because of the unusual heat, very likely a first in a state that usually keeps students home after snow storms!

Earl has been downgraded to a tropical storm for coastal areas, but we are stocking up on water and batteries for likely power outages. Right now, it is still and hot. A few of the boats have been hauled as a precaution...and we wait in this strange interlude.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

PSP

Games on tiny little discs the size of quarters! Note the silly bandz!

The conventional wisdom is that you should write what you know, so I will offer a disclaimer, right now. I had never seen a PSP, or Playstation Portable, until my young friend, Ben, proudly introduced me to his and asked me to write about it. It started with a discussion on blogging and my Silly Bandz post and the curious notion of writing and publishing anything and everything online. Heady stuff for a ten year old boy....grownups too, for that matter.

Ben, all bone and muscle with a burr haircut I can't resist ruffling when he streaks past on his boyhood missions. There is only one speed; streak. He can get more mileage on a peanut butter sandwich with the crusts cut off than anyone I know! This complicated little soul who raids my refrigerator for feta and fruitpops stole my heart a long time ago. Oh right! The PSP! Here is a list of questions from Ben I was supposed to ask, but didn't before the summer's day moved on at warp speed, Ben's speed.

1. "What does the PSP do?"
2. "Can you buy movies?"
3. "Does it have internet?"
4. "Can you download movies?"
5. "Can the PSP type?"

So, in the end I googled! Imagine a ten year old with that much media in his pocket in a device smaller than a pack of cards!

Btw, Ben, thanks for sending me that awesome ringtone for my cellphone!

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Celebrations

Birthday by the sea, Mere Point, Maine.

The kiss in the sky. Spruce Head, Maine.

Summer: fast forward...August, the busiest time of year in Maine. The last opportunity for small businesses to succeed. Make or break August. It is, typically, the best weather all year. Friends and family arrive in earnest to savor, once again, the rocky coast, the islands, the scent of pine and the music of boats on their moorings. August; with its weddings and birthdays and arrivals and departures. Will there be fog to delay a flight? Was the traffic backed up in New Jersey or Connecticut? Eyes on the clock, August ticking away until a car door slamming shut signals a safe homecoming. That sound of car tires on a dirt road, one visit after another, is one of relief and joy. It is a celebration every time.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Impressions from a Seaside Wedding

Wheeler's Bay, Spruce Head, Maine




Planning any outdoor event in Maine carries an element of risk; our weather is capricious and can change in a blink. This day, however, was perfect from start to finish. Classic Maine...Maine at her most memorable.

You can see more pictures on my Flickr stream here. Just click on the images to view larger.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This."

Pig and Sow Islands

This is one of my favorite destinations by boat. The narrow inlet between Pig and Sow islands is only accessible when the tide is at its highest point and even then, we watch carefully for underwater ledge. At low tide, one could easily wade from one island to the other. The atmosphere here is magical. Light shimmers and the island reflections on water are vivid and very beautiful. On one occasion dozens of blue heron soared from the treetops in protest at our passing, sun filtering through their outstretched wings. We were surrounded by monarch butterflies beginning their improbable journey south on another visit. Goldenrod was in bloom, hardy roots clinging to the rocks, on the day these photos were taken.

Six weeks til frost.

Today's link from "You Must Remember This!"

Bounty ~ Random Memory #19 ~ Iran

Beth's Vegetable Stand, Warren, Maine.

One of the great pleasures of summer is the bounty found in the many roadside vegetable stands in Maine. It's true, there is an abundance of year round produce in the grocery stores, but February offerings can not touch the intense taste we enjoy from our local farmers.

Random Memory #19 ~ Iran

The seasons and artificially created shortages dictated our menu in Tehran, although bread (nan) and rice were always available. I loved the markets with vegetables on display in high precarious towers and the profusion of colorful beans and dried herbs. I didn't have the slightest idea what to do with most of them, but gradually many crept into our diet with delicious results. I miss the nan and the harbouzay melons the most. There is nothing like harbouzay in this country...that solid yellow melon with its crackling crisp texture and a flavor that bursts in your mouth like a spoonful of honey. Eggs were often scarce and we could go for weeks without them. They were invariably sold from small carts on the street; crates of them swaying dangerously surrounded by veiled women pushing, shoving and reaching for their fragile prize. When we found a vendor, we always bought multiple boxes and distributed our find to friends. Who knew when we would see them again! The eggs were caked with bits of straw, mud and chicken excrement. I still remember washing those eggs and then filling the sink with water and disinfectant, throwing away the bad ones that floated to the top. And the caviar! We consumed countless tins of it, carelessly ladling mounds of the precious fish eggs on small blinis sprinkled with onion and chopped egg. I take it all back, that is what I miss the most, those gorgeous pearly globes from the Caspian Sea.

Blast Off!

All week long the little house on Mere Point has been bustling with family activity. JCB introduced the gentleman to Maine, cottage life and her niece and nephew. Together, we swam, 'messed about with boats', went on excursions to islands and celebrated a seventh (!) birthday. It was the gentleman (often in danger of being loved a little too much!) who came up with the perfect present and the children's first chemistry lesson. The experiment was entrancing! Assembled; one plastic rocket ship, four small spoonfuls of baking soda in the base and a jigger of white vinegar in the nose cone...some judicious timing and a gentle shake and blast off! The sturdy little craft soared into the air. Pure magic!

Forgotten; the television, the computer games, the cell phone, i-pads and pods and even the well stocked freezer full of fruit pops. Oh yes, "he is a genius!"

Today's link from "You Must Remember This!"