Ya know, I think I'm going to stop blogging.

It's been a year.  Not sure I'll have anything new to say, and especially nothing thoughtful.  My posts are sort of like an ongoing Christmas card letter. So, probably won't be blogging much in 2011.  But, I will check in on and appreciate the more thematic (Hope for Limpopo, travel, crafts, food, foster animals, events, arts, etc.) blogs that I subscribe to.

Seasons

November 9, 2010

It's an absolutely beautiful day here on the creek. 65 degrees, sunny.  Fall is subtler here.  No bright yellows, oranges, reds.  Instead, rust, sienna, russet. The hoary Spanish moss stands out more without competition from dark green foliage. Brilliant crimson berries on the fading dogwood over our deck, though!  It's disorienting for us Northerners, as lots of perennials come to life this time of year here after struggling and waning with the high heat and humidity of summer.  This mint was feeble and scrawny during the "growing season"; now look at it! 

Mint juleps, anyone?

People set out pansies now for color in the garden. We're warned not to plant most bulbs until December.  For an herb garden planned for around our back steps, we bought a modest rosemary plant at the Tryon Palace plant sale in October.  It should be able to winter over and become a shrub.  But, the North Carolina hummingbirds will have migrated South by the end of October, so today I brought in the feeders to store until next March.

Last Friday I went to a concert by an 18-year-old piano prodigy, Matt Savage, at Pamlico Community College.  I'd never been to that campus, and driving in the dark down Route 306 I kept thinking, "Where the hell am I?"  After passing a cinder-block Shriners hall, a farm or two, and some low ranch houses and double-wides, there was no light on the road, and only the shapes of trees on either side, the road as straight and flat as a runway. Finally there was PCC's sign, and a fully lit parking lot packed with cars.  I was late and sneaked in between numbers. The pianist looked like a skinny Harry Potter, and his sidemen (bass and drums) looked like chunkier Michael Stipes. As they jammed, I thought, wow, must be amazing to have that gift so young, not having to work at it, both as composer and performer. He did seem a little awkward when speaking: "New Hampshire [where he's from] has seasons and Boston has seasons and North Carolina has seasons.  And they're beautiful.  Heh, heh."  Only at intermission, when the house lights came on after a splendid rendition of a Thelonious Monk (one of Mr. Matt's favorite artists) number, did I see in the program that "Matt Savage did not play a musical instrument and could not tolerate listening to music a mere 6 years before taking the stage in 2004 at Birdland.  At age 3, he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, a...type of autism.  Matt could not withstand sounds of any kind and could not communicate easily." For 4 years, he had intensive therapies, and then "his musical skills flourished at an accelerated pace. Matt taught himself to read and play piano music literally overnight."  So.  So much for my assumptions about how "easy" it is for the "gifted." Loved the show and his music; his New Age/jazz stylistic dichotomy supports the country/city theme in his new CD, and the jazz always keeps the New Age-iness from lapsing into sentimentality. His new CD is called "Welcome Home," and explores his changing idea of what home is, reflecting his move from the family farm to Boston (Berklee College of Music). As a transplant myself, his concept spoke to me.

Also when the lights came up, I could see how..., ahem, mature the audience was. If the performer is in the springtime of his life, seasonally speaking, his audience was definitely in the winter of theirs. Yes, a few younger couples, and even a child or two, but no one of "traditional college age,"--the ubiquitous demographic in the Pioneer Valley.  Lots of gray and white heads. Lots of difficulty navigating the stadium-style stairs.  Probably no Frances Crowes among them--although I don't want to be making any more false assumptions!  Visibly different attire from Northampton, Massachusetts: ladies in appropriate make-up, earrings, and pantsuits, greeting each other with "Miss," a friendly Southern custom I do like:  "Well hello there, Miss Judy."

Bravo to the Pamlico Musical Society (with the unfortunate acronym of PMS) and sponsors for bringing an ongoing and varied series of concerts to the area. As well as South Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (hooray for our tax dollars at work).

So, this afternoon, off to the tennis courts--another thing that's in season practically year round!

Fall is coming....

View from our back yard.

....even though right now it's 85 degrees and sunny!

Mum Fest reports

Picture-perfect weather helps draw thousands to MumFest opening 
   ---New Bern Sun Journal

The male gospel group we saw performing at The Galley was a highlight--super voices and harmony, ending with the lively O'Jays hit "Love Train" with  local place names incorporated.

This year, though, seemed like there was a superfluity of booths with low-end jewelry; Avon, Tupperware, and Mary Kay; and fried turkey legs. One good photographer had a booth...but, this isn't a craft show, after all. Lots of people wearing the GOP candidate stickers, few with the Dems'.  Supporters of "A Child is a Gift from God" were across the street from supporters of the "Mountain to Sea Trail." Enjoyed a few minutes watching some youths in a (sanctioned and officiated) wrestling match.  We skipped the Christian rock concert in the early evening--with a comparatively steep separate admission charge of $20 ("Kutless having just over 1.5 million albums sold and Sidewalk Prophets fresh from winning New Artist of the Year at the 2010 Dove Awards").

Speaking of charges, lemon shake-ups seemed price-fixed at $5--I think they're $3 at the Ohio State Fair--so I skipped that usual fair favorite.  $5 for water, sugar, and half a lemon? That led Tim to suggest one could do an insider's guide to fair concessions, but I think that would involve sampling far too many funnel cakes, bloomin' onions, buttefly potatoes, and sausage sandwiches. 

We walked the entire Mum Fest route in gorgeous weather.  Then, when we were ready to cross the river to our parked car, the drawbridge seemed to be malfunctioning. Even when no boats were passing, traffic wasn't allowed over. So, with everyone else who'd intended to walk back, we got in the long line for the Water Taxi, starting to feel hot and tired, but enjoying the view.

Finally, the bridge closed, and we trudged back in the line of those leaving the Fest, weary but contented.  Weirdly, we were behind the very same four young people whom we'd followed across the bridge TO the event three hours earlier.  Mum Fest Twilight Zone?

Hooray for Mum Fest, for the people-watching alone. As we left, one mother said to her family in a Southern accent, "I ain't goin' on no ride."  We didn't, either.

High and dry vs. wet.

We're back at the creek after a sweaty-palm landing in thick clouds and rain, with a couple of jolts and a second try at landing by the pilot who said, if not in so many words, "Oops, I missed my turn."

It is good to be on land again, even if it isn't dry land.

The afternoon we got back, I left for the supermarket but turned around mid-stream, so to speak.  Brices Creek Road and Madam Moore's were in places awash with overrun that could have deepened to impassable by the time I returned with organic milk and bread.  So I went back to trusty ol' Merchant's for hot dogs and (farmer owned) Maola 2%.

School is still canceled in nearby Vanceboro and some other counties due to flooding. The creek rose high enough to cover our dock, but has since receded. It's still over the federal forest marker post, our usual gauge.  Saturday was sunny enough for morning tennis but yesterday and today are overcast, cool, and dampish. So I baked cranberry scones for breakfast.

We enjoyed our holiday so much that we are thinking about returning to Grand Canyon in a couple of years to do more hiking, now that we have the lay of the land.  We wouldn't mind getting our same cabin again, although within the various accommodation groups, room assignments are allegedly random.  This was our view from 6151, Bright Angel Lodge:

Now, even without Photoshop, that's a little deceptive because our window also overlooked a gathering spot for fellow tourists, but we also enjoyed the people-watching (and listening, although most canyon-watchers are remarkably reverent.  We did hear one woman sharing with a tour-group companion that her nephew died in a hay baling accident, and her son got hit with both a baseball bat and a golf club in his youth).

For a more hushed and sublime (in the Romantic sense) Canyon experience, we walked a mile to Shoshone Point which a guidebook recommends for its solitude.  When we arrived, another couple was just leaving, so we did indeed have the Point and its vista hauntingly to ourselves.  Tim did venture out onto the jutting rock (sheer cliff, no guardrails, as in much of the Park) until his acrophobia kicked in.  I lingered long enough to shoot video (it pans a little fast--I'm not used to shooting "movies"--so don't get dizzy!) just to share the astounding 350-degree view.  However, Blogger's getting errors when I try to upload, so I'll have to do it later.

Charlotte's Web

Arrived late in Charlotte NC, and so missed our connection with US Air--even though the boarding gate was open and it was the last flight of the night--i.e., no one would be getting a connection in New Bern--we were not permitted to board the plane after having been swept halfway through the interminable terminal from B to E by a determined cart-driver and hoofing it from Gate 1 to 32.   So we spent an unplanned night in the airport Holiday Inn (at our expense, but allegedly discounted), and hope to get in to New Bern this afternoon despite threats of rain and wind. We held out for a later flight today to be on jet rather than a prop plane.

Graqnd Canyon--no "The"--was astounding.  No words or pictures convey--but that won't prevent me from posting on Flickr.  There was no internet access at the Canyon itself.  But that's okay--we were looking out our window that overlooked the South Rim when we weren't walking or hiking.

Was able to mail my Mexican "chicken," as Tim calls it--actually, a western quail--a souvenir from the Tesuque Flea Market--from the National Park post office. It's a garden ornament.

Weather Channel is saying "Anything but boring in North Carolina!" where they've declared a state of emergency--but, we hope to be home this afternoon.

Purple boots and pasta

Purple boots on display at a shop in Madrid, NM.

Due to sluggish physical states, we have not had as many adventures as in some visits to Santa Fe.  But we did return to Madrid, proud of its past as the setting for scenes in "Wild Hogs," and minor arts and retail mecca.  Our waitress for lunch at the Mine Shaft is from West Springfield, Mass., by way of Jackson Hole.

Cowboy hats for sale.

Mark says, "Howdy, ma'am."

Typical Madrid residence.

Pasta with shrimp, prepared by Chef Marco, chez nous.

We've dined in for dinner, going so far as to cancel our wine pairings dinner reservation because they jacked up the price.  Tonight we'll go out, but not for a Wine and Chile Fiesta-sanctioned meal event. We're off to Bandelier National Monument for walking in a moment.

On our last hike, we were caught in rain--and thunder, but no lightning, fortunately--and got drenched after taking a wrong turn on the Dale Ball Trail System, close to the city center but affording dramatic views of the valley off to the Sandia Mountains.

Tomorrow morning, free tickets via the Smithsonian's "Museum Day" will provide us with admission to the New Mexico Natural History and Science Museum.  Then we'll go to the official Wine and Chile Fiesta Grand Tasting at the Opera complex.

Adios for now.

This doesn't do justice to how Bob Mocarski created a magical Southwestern garden in an overgrown suburban landscape in Tucson. He collected river rocks to make winding paths, transplanted cacti and other native plants, and added whimsical sculptures and objects that complement the natural elements rather than distracting from them. Bob died this summer and this is a memorial to his vitality and unpretentious, unpredictable spirit.

More en route

El Malpais National Monument

La Ventana natural arch

Wonderful Western landscapes on our way from Show Low to Santa Fe. Lava beds, buttes, and ranches, and Reservation lands.

Some pix from Southwest

Saguaro National Park

Pine Top is tops

Lucked out with Hotwire for our airport overnight in Phoenix: $50 for a Radisson with a wonderful outdoor pool. Our typical urban nighttime view of lights dotting blackness magically transformed into a brilliant scene of distant mountains behind palms at dawn--that "we're not in Kansas" feeling.

Which continued in our tour of Saguaro National Park on the Bajada Loop Drive.  Pix of that later.

Visit with Sandy was great. Our first view of Bob's "wash," a western suburban wilderness between house lots that he'd transformed into a maze and cactus garden. Also enjoyed meeting her dear friends Scott and Carol, in their spectacular mountainside house that they renovated, hands-on, themselves. Sandy is waiting to hear about when she will get a new puppy, a welcome housemate that will help her through her mourning.  A Golden Doodle.

Drove to Show Low on the dramatic Salt River Canyon Route.  Up here, it's much cooler than Tucson's 100-degree days, with a Northwest woodsy feeling. Outside our hotel window, horses are grazing by a winding stream--there's actually grass. Our evening in nearby Pine Top was excellent. We stumbled across an outdoor grotto and rustic bar, Charlie's Orchard, that featured a band, the Bootleggers, that played primarily Southern rock and blues, everything from "Hot Rod Lincoln" to Pink Floyd's "The Wall"--and they were good--except for The Girl Singer, Bobby Jo, who played a tambourine and couldn't sing a lick. She butchered Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker"--just could not get that falsetto. Ouch.  The staff built a fire in the chiminea behind us; we were joined in the circle of its warmth by a friendly woman and her grandson, who were Apache; he went off to play horseshoes nearby and got a ringer. She confided her husband had passed away in May, and it is Apache tradition that the widow cannot dance for one year after her husband's death. This was sort of a hint, I think, that she would've danced,even though the cement patio was empty, customers being few on that chilly night (Tim and I were the only ones who applauded the band)--and that one ought to go for the gusto while one can.    We stayed til the band quit, around 9:30, and redolent of mesquite smoke and humming REO Speedwagon, we drove back to our room in Show Low.

Now we're on the verge of our 5-hour drive to Santa Fe, so this is written in haste and now must sign off.

Volunteer fun

Loved zipping around the countryside (in a car) as one of many volunteer photographers for the Bike MS event in New Bern this past weekend. My assignment:  rest stops. But I shot other stuff too. A fun assignment--M.J., you would've been an excellent companion on this photo jaunt.

Cyclists near Oriental, NC.

The organization used the photos for a slideshow for participants, and posted them to a web site.

Still waters

Brices Creek is #13 of the official "Twin Rivers Paddle Trails" in the New Bern area.

From our back yard boat ramp, this morning I set off in the yellow kayak, coffee in the convenient cup-holder, the water itself still and dark as coffee, with shreds of mist in the slanting sunbeams.

Morning mist, a sign that summer is waning (2008 photo).

No sounds except crickets, the occasional woodpecker, the drip from paddle blades, and the splash of jumping fish, at least a dozen.  Some of them I saw cleared the surface by what looked like two feet.

Cruised into "Stillwater Harbour," (yes, with a "u") a former quarry now on the verge of becoming a marina for a prospective development "where nature is your neighbor." (No "u.")

That tagline, which I saw on one of the project's brochures, cracks me up. Their promotional materials show acres of uninhabited woodlands and blue (?) waters. But that's soon to become "64 homesites, including 36 waterfront and 28 interior homes...with docks, sidewalks....[T]he community offers the best in all-natural living."  So far, only one house has been built there.

Actually, the best in all-natural living is in the fishing camps on the southern side of the "harbour."  These trailers and cabins--some funky and primitive, some well-tended--and their modest, weathered, mostly rickety docks, have served as getaways for folks for a long time, it appears.  Under tall trees, on the narrow band of land that separates the quarry from Brices Creek, these sites are "waterfront" both fore and aft.  Last Sunday, a fellow in farmer's denim overalls sat in a lawn chair on the creek bank, smoking a pipe--a timeless Labor Day weekend scene.

The contrast between this simple setting and its neighboring community-to-be of "neo-traditional" homes is typical of the evolution of New Bern.  We're part of that change, of course, as are the many other newcomers here.  As it grows, can New Bern maintain balances between the egalitarian and the esoteric, the traditional and trendy, pokiness and prosperity, charm and sophistication?

Pirates and Earl

Eli and Luke

The Grandchildren loved being on the beautiful The Outer Banks, Blackbeard's former stomping grounds: they are going through a pirate phase, which is more difficult in Upstate New York.  Meeting the Hart family there allowed us to revisit Avon, Hatteras, and Ocracoke, coming home by ferry--before Earl struck.

This marina bar on Ocracoke served up a tasty lunch of grilled drum.

The storm was a non-event in Craven County, where we live. However, Ocracoke lost all power, and Route 12--the vulnerable road that extends along the sometimes very narrow sandbar that is the Outer Banks--was flooded, by water and sand.

Preparing for Earl, however, did inspire me to put together our household emergency kit.

Everything but a whistle and a change of clothes.  And a good book.

We also hauled the boat out of the water.  This precaution was a somewhat nerve-wracking process for us novices.  But as usual, neighbor Ted, our creek guru, helped us out.  Tim did a fine job of driving the truck and trailer.  This was a fortunate exercise, since when we were done, the winch strap gave out.  If this had happened sometime when we were cranking the boat onto the trailer, the SS Sweet Caroline would've slid backwards into the water without anyone at the helm.  We replaced the strap right away.

Still, no rush to relaunch: now that we have a boat sitting on a trailer in the yard, we feel like real Eastern North Carolinians.

Except most Eastern North Carolinians probably don't have organic soup in their emergency kits.

Civilization, and an Unwelcome Call of the Wild

Happy to have our new sturdy deck, and hope you will someday join us for a cocktail on "the octagon."

We promise you won't have the view we had yesterday: a small deer carcass had floated into our canal.  Our neighbor said she had never seen something "that gross" in our back yard blackwater byway.  With my assistance, Tim bravely prodded the thing (I will spare you a description) back into the current where it drifted (too slowly) away. We hope it continues to shuffle off its mortal coil in the wilderness.  Today, the creek is high, and the rain is heavy and, we feel, cleansing.

We've had a drought all summer, and of course now that we're headed to the beach, it's pouring. We're off to the Outer Banks for a short overnight visit with The Grandchildren and Meg and Dave. They're in a rental house with Dave's parents.  We'll be nearby in what looks like a quaint beachy place:  The Lighthouse View.  Then we will return via ferry from Ocracoke Island.  To take your car on this ferry costs $15.  In contrast, a car one-way for non-residents on the Martha's Vineyard ferry costs $67, plus the $7.00 fare per adult passenger. It'll be a scenic relaxing trip--if it's not raining like it is now.

The "Let's Talk About It" series on "literature and the law" started yesterday evening at the library with Melville's Billy Budd.  I hope the ferry captain does not evoke martial law and hang me from the yardarm if I get unruly.

Upon our return, we'll be able to enjoy the Art and Wine Festival. Ah, civilization.

Back from holiday

 Visiting Eleanor and FDR at their Hyde Park home.

We're back from our holiday, having driven over 2000 miles (Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, West Virginia), reuniting with friends and family and stopping at interesting sites from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

to the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.

Yesterday, after a fine evening boat ride, our neighbor Ted called us over to his dock.  He'd trapped 3 large blue crabs in a crab pot he'd lowered into the creek.  What a beautiful shade of periwinkle on their shells.  He alleged that many of the "local" crabs served in the Chesapeake Bay area are actually from around here.

4th of July in Eastern North Carolina

Attended Guinness Book of World Records biggest bun ceremony in Union Point Park.  Anticlimactic, as it was really hard to see; the goings-on probably should have been elevated on a platform. I did get one pre-reveal picture of the sacred bun, still enshrouded in plastic wrap. 

Dignitaries spoke.  The bun was measured and authenticated, then laden with Eastern North Carolina barbecue (like pulled pork, but with a vinegar-y sauce added by the individual diner) and cole slaw, until it achieved the record-breaking weight:  over 1000 pounds.

 

 We vamoosed soon after.  Spent most of the afternoon in the hammock, reading and watching wildlife (rabbits, hummingbirds, herons--no gators, though allegedly a four-footer was spotted in the creek last week!).  That night, we parked the pick-up in a vacant lot "in the darkness on the edge of town," in the words of Bruce Springsteen.  Many other cars and families gathered there, "beneath that giant Outback sign," to paraphrase, this time, B. Springsteen. Watched fireworks from lawn chairs set up in the truck bed, toasting Independence.

Projects done, and bun fun

The old deck has been removed.
The septic tank has been located
And pumped, and so improved.
We are elated.
Now onward to a redesign
Of a new deck--it should be fine.

The brick steps, now revealed, will be 

Surrounded by herbs eventually. 

Miss Shannon worked her seamstress magic
On sunroom cushions--love the fabric.

 Before, and after:

With cooler air, and higher water,
Boating will be an option later.

We're looking forward to big fun
On July 4th: the largest bun
In all the world will be displayed
Here in New Bern--no parade,
But music and fireworks for everyone.

Happy Independence Day
To our friends across the U.S.A.

100 things to eat in 100 N.C. Counties: Our State Magazine

July Web Exclusives | Our State Magazine

Culture

Enjoyed free concert last night:  North Carolina Symphony on the lawn at Tryon Palace.  "Summertime" in a Porgy and Bess medley was particularly fitting, with a breeze from the river and birds overhead.

This morning, tennis--and it's already 80 degrees at 8:30.  I may check out the swimming pool afterward, if it's not full of kids.

Quick storm last night

Top Ten: Setbacks and Satisfactions

We are generally quite happy with, and in, our creekside home.

Our house when we bought it.

Our house now.

In mid-May, we left it awhile for a whirlwind trip up North:

the usual hellish drive North, this time in rain. We surprised Tim's longtime assistant, Sandie, at her retirement reception--a heartwarming reunion.

Sandie and Tim

Enjoyed super-quick visits with Tim's sister and parents, Mary the K., PO4, M.J., and the Maloney family.  During the drive up and back, we did some sightseeing: Valley Forge, Cedar Creek civil war site, Shenandoah National Park--would like to book a cabin there someday and do more hiking.

Patsy Cline's house; view from Skyline Drive

Upon our return to the Creek, we had a fun visit from Bob Bell, who had come down from D.C. for a nephew's graduation and a major bridge tournament in Raleigh.  The intrepid Bellini was up for anything, and so we did the Sights: the haunting Fort Macon, the splendid Tryon Palace, and the informative and merry historic district Trolley Tour.

Back on the home front, we have encountered typical domestic setbacks and satisfactions. In sort of yin/yang fashion, these generally have the same sources, as you'll astutely note if you scroll back and forth between the two lists. The setbacks are all sources of, as I call it, bourgeois anxiety, so if you have enough of that yourself, or if you think pouting about life's small inconveniences is annoyingly middle-class, skip to "satisfactions," which also are annoyingly middle-class, but at least cheerfully so.


Top Ten Setbacks and Satisfactions
Setbacks

1. Boating. Our "new" powerboat's in the water, but running rough. Could be anything--we have no clue. It's discouraging.

Our creek, with boat on lift--where it stays, mostly.

2. Deck. We also have no clue where our septic tank is, which could impede plans to replace our aging deck.  Yes folks, plot plans indicate the tank is under the deck, next to the house, but we can't find it.  Would love to be able to perform routine maintenance, and find out for sure if according to current code we can actually rebuild in that proximity to the system.
3. Creatures. Tim was bitten by a tick. Figures, once you leave the home of Lyme disease. So far, no evidence of any bad reaction.
4. Landscape.  We have trees and shrubs (which we hope are drought-tolerant), but await a hardscape, i.e., a path through the pine straw to the front door.  Tim says, "It looks like a pine straw farm."  That's the mulch of choice in North Carolina.

Hum theme from Jaws as you look at this close-up of The Pine Straw That Ate Brices Creek.

5. Furniture. We bought a bed to replace the falling-apart one we inherited, in our downstairs guest room. If you visit, you may be staying here, so you have a vested interest in this particular setback.  Once the thing was assembled, we realized the mattress is a weird size, a tad bigger than king. Now, who measures a mattress before purchasing a bed frame?  We may be able to solve this problem by getting "California king" bed rails. We'll see if Ashley Furniture comes through.
6. Entertainment. New Bern restaurants close around 9 o'clock.
7. Garden.  Holes in the bean leaves. Broccoli struggling in the heat, planted too late.  Who knew you were supposed to plant stuff in February down here?
8. Fitness. Vicious Circle: Tim hasn't been to the golf course enough, which makes him reluctant to play until his game is polished, which makes him not go to the golf course enough, which makes him reluctant....you get the picture.
9. Weather.  It's usually 88 degrees and sunny, with puffy clouds and a breeze. We haven't had the rain that soaked not too distant regions. The drought is no good for the garden etc. 
10. Sports.  No Red Sox on TV.

Satisfactions
1. Boating. Taking the kayaks out on the creek, which we've only gotten around to a couple of times, is very peaceful and good exercise.
2. Deck. A great place to have dinner and watch the
3. Creatures. We enjoy seeing the geese and their goslings, the hummingbird, dragonflies, cardinals, mockingbirds, turtles, lizards, bunnies, (and sometimes) eagles, right in our back yard. And--virtually NO mosquitoes.  What's up with that?

Note goslings,at left in imaages: May 23 and June 4.
4. Landscape.  We're making progress in our landscaping project, in the hands of Knightscapes Enterprises. After many months of planning and waiting, we can now an envision how it will look when the new plantings mature and the hardscape is installed. The pretty lace cap hydrangea that we inherited is in full bloom.
5. Furniture. We found great dining room chairs (after a 4-year search) at High Point. They're on order from Mennonites in Indiana, who beat them with chains for a "distressed" finish. What a vision. The couch and Tim's desk and file cabinet are in the TV room--perfect.
6. Entertainment.  Cracker in Raleigh. NC Symphony at Tryon Palace in a couple of weeks. And of course there're always reruns of Bones, and the thrill of a Netflix delivery.
7. Garden. We've harvested cucumbers--tasty.  Tomatoes are ripening.  Tim's tomato towers and the cuke trellis of his own design, all of which he constructed from PVC pipe, look great and work well. 

8. Fitness. I'm playing tennis regularly with some pleasant women who remind me of my tennis pals in the old days. It's fun getting back into it.  And we both use the superb health club nearby frequently for working out and yoga.
9. Weather.  It's usually 88 degrees and sunny, with puffy clouds and a breeze.
10. Sports.  The Brew Bern festival is coming up.  Whaddya mean, beer isn't a sport?  Okay, then, we still have the Kinston Indians.

Maggie

Maggie

August 1996 - May 14, 2010

Jazz and Blues Weekend

The Convention Center was set up like a "club" for the blues show with Shamekia Copeland and Cool John Ferguson yesterday evening. Made great music even better.  Tonight, jazz.

Today we bought veg plants to add to the lettuce, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, and sunflowers that are already in the garden. Tim continues working on his tomato cage obelisks made out of PVC pipe.

He's happy his desk and file cabinet were delivered this week. Now there's some real furniture in the living room, not just a big-ass TV.

Meanwhile, the boat sits on its trailer 7 feet from the water's edge on the ramp until the creek gets a little higher. We're glad our neighbor, Ted, offered to help with the launch--whenever THAT may be.....

Activity Report

Last weekend, really enjoyed the Beaufort Wine and Food Weekend.  (Potential freelance work for North Carolina Wine Press, a new magazine?; the editor was distributing the first issue there.)

Cleaned up the boat in preparation for launch, but the direction of the wind has made the creek low. (We need winds off the Sound to push water upstream into Brices Creek for greater depth at our back yard ramp.)


Hiked the Island Creek Trail of the Croatan National Forest today in beautiful weather. Then played 3 sets of tennis. (Stiff!)

Tonight went to a talk at the library about James City, the section of New Bern we're closest to, here in Township 7.  (During the Civil War and up to the 1890s, it was a community first for escaped slaves under the banner of the Union Army, then for freed slaves, that became a thriving and influential social and political center for African-Americans.)

Now, after a Harris Teeter ice cream sandwich, it's time to call it a day (after giving Maggie her bedtime snack, too).

War and Peace

We met our friends the Haars in Virginia for a tour of some Civil War sites in Petersburg and Richmond. The incongruity of the peaceful bucolic scenery camoflaging incomprehensibly horrific fields of battle was unsettling. 
                              
But, we appreciated connecting to history through artifacts, especially at the Museum of the Confederacy--and re-connecting with our good, and interesting, friends.

We returned to the Creek to find that the dock alterations we've been waiting for were completed, so we can put our boat in the water at last! 

In addition, two goslings appeared with the pair of Canada geese that've been hanging out in our back yard. Yeah, yeah, these creatures can be a nuisance, but since our neighbor seemed to have stopped feeding an entire flock, we have just these two and their offspring. It's entertaining. The fuzzy little babies graze constantly.  They look like miniature camels somehow, scuttlling around with their heads bobbing in the grass, overseen by vigilant parents.  I can't really zoom in with my own camera, but you can get the idea from someone else's picture. 

Looking out the window just now, I saw the goose family, a bright green anole lizard on the railing, and a bird taking food to the purple martin house that we inherited.  We've never noticed inhabitants before--it may not be appropriately high enough off the ground--and we'd talked about getting rid of it.  But now looks like we'll be collecting rent! 

Yesterday at dusk, I had to zap wasps that were building nests by our front and back doors. I sort of feel bad about it--the wasps have as much right to nest around here as the geese--but I don't want anyone stung. Maggie's killed two of the splendid little green lizards this spring, and we dump poison on fire ant nests when they appear in the yard.

But this afternoon, a peaceable kingdom at Brices Creek.

Tours return for historic cemetery | class, tours, bodycopyrag - Local - Sun Journal

Tours return for historic cemetery | class, tours, bodycopyrag - Local - Sun Journal

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Historic homes and gardens tour

Wonderful homes and gardens in the annual spring tour sponsored by the Historical Society and Preservation Foundation of New Bern.  Saw about half today, more tomorrow.  Day started out rainy and cool, ended up glorious. One wasn't supposed to take pictures indoors--the homes are private residences, generously opened to the public--but I did shoot some gardens.