Looking down the length of the pier off into the horizon...looks like new construction.
24 April 2007
Skate, the pier at Oak Island, NC
Once, when we were walking up and down the Commercial Pier in Fort Lauderdale, mom and I saw a baby hammerhead shark that had just been caught by one of the fishermen. Now, each time we walk a pier we wonder if we'll see a baby hammerhead.
While we didn't see a shark this time, we did see a skate that had been caught several hours earlier. Here he is. The tail had been cut off, but he still looked threatening.
Frequently, the fishermen told us, these skates are used in place of scallops. They cut round bits out of the skate and use them as scallops. However, this particular skate would be used for shark bait. Scary.
Sunset on Oak Island, NC
The sun was setting as we finished dinner. We just had time for a walk up and down the pier.
Oak Island, NC
Finally, some down time. Mom and I left Kinston for a trip to Wilmington, but we never made it. We skirted Wilmington to check out a lake without any accessible shoreline. Then we stayed near Oak Island, which is where we had dinner.
When we said to the waitress, "There isn't anything around here." She said, "Yup, it's always like that. Even in the summer." We decided we liked that.
mid-March to mid-April
After many weeks of commuting to NYC (and a trip to Miami for my grandfather's funeral), we had to settle down and write my master's paper.
Spending spring break in NYC netted me a job after school. I had a few interviews and accepted an offer with NYU, where I will start in July.
At the end of that week my grandfather died. Which meant that the family would leave NC for Miami. I would miss the second March wedding, but I needed to be with my family. There are no pictures from Miami.
I would not travel again until April when Mom and I would head to the coast.
Spending spring break in NYC netted me a job after school. I had a few interviews and accepted an offer with NYU, where I will start in July.
At the end of that week my grandfather died. Which meant that the family would leave NC for Miami. I would miss the second March wedding, but I needed to be with my family. There are no pictures from Miami.
I would not travel again until April when Mom and I would head to the coast.
The Lodge, Mountain, and Snow
This is where we stay every year for Ski Trip: Northern Lights Lodge. The treat us right, and we definitely mis-treat them. Love Northern Lights. Hope Rich and Janice come back for Ski Trip next year.
Holt and Meredith
One of my favorite peeps - Holt. We went to the SEC Championship game together in Atlanta. He teaches me about wine, and I act sophisticated. Works well :)
Janice actually poses with Anna
Anna and the bride, Janice, who had NEVER posed for a picture until the day of her wedding. One week later we were in Stowe drinking it up - again.
West Side
Our skip trip group headed to the top of the mountain for a nice dinner and good wine. We were "those people" that ruined your experience because we were having so much fun. Yup. We're always those people.
Susan Asleep, Peanut Gallery Sam
Not a week after the wedding, I was back in NYC for spring break/ski trip. This was Susan's first ski trip, and how does she spend it?
Breakfast no Mimosa
The morning after the wedding was a bit painful; I had a wee-bit too much to drink. Here's a shot of breakfast (thanks Hampton Inn) without the obligatory mimosa.
Soon after this shot was taken, it was time to run off to JFK where I'd catch a flight back to Raleigh/Durham to make it back to Chapel Hill just in time for the Carolina/Duke basketball game. My last one.
Z, Mere, and Egg
Soon after Gatlinburg, it was time to head to NYC for the first of two March weddings.
Waiting to leave for LI, the boys and I hit a favorite EV brunch spot for some "get this party started" drinks. Cheers, bitches!
Gatlinburg Cabin View
First a trip to Gatlinburg with Stacy and her friends. Stacy and I have been friends since high school. I would trust Stacy with my life. We've traveled together, we've gone to school together, we've been so drunk we couldn't stand together, and we've almost been killed by an NYC cabbie together.
Thankfully, Gatlinburg was a little more relaxed than all of that. Just some chill folks hiking and drinking and playing board games.
Where to begin...
Since my last post, you'd think I'd fallen off the face of the Earth, and that would almost be true. In fact, I traveled the rest of February and most of March. Somehow, at the end of March and the beginning of April I was able to settle down and write my master's paper. Whew. It was a busy time, and my body simply shut down for the mid-section of April.
Now, I'm back and ready to go again!
Now, I'm back and ready to go again!
05 February 2007
Another sign of interest
I'm going to put out a coffee table book of weird signs. First we saw "road ends in water" and now "No Trespassing after Dark". That's fabulous! So, we can trespass during the day, right?
Spudnuts
I think Blogger is going to cut this image off early so you can't see the complete name of this business: Spudnuts! What a great name. Unfortunately the coffee shop was closed when we stopped for the picture, but the name had us giggling for a little while.
Slave Quarters
The "dependencies" at Monticello are self-guided; this photograph is from the slave quarters occupied by a married couple.
Monticello
It turns out that Branchland, the family plantation, is down the street, literally, from the turn off to Monticello. So, while we were hunting down family history in Charlottesville, we also made a trip to a National Monument, Monticello.
Branchland
This is my family's plantation, Branchland, in Charlottesville, VA. Ok, so it's my family by marriage, but I still inherited a lot from them. See if you can follow this: my paternal grandmother's sister married Channing Moore Bolton, that's where my middle name comes from. Channing Moore Bolton's father, also Channing Moore Bolton, bought this plantation in the late 1800s and this is where Uncle Chan was born and bred.
Today is an assisted living facility.
29 January 2007
21 January 2007
Different View
Like a mangrove swamp but without the swamp...or the mangroves.
It was interesting to see this tree have a system of roots above ground. So, I climbed down into the trough over and around which the roots were growing then tried to shoot a photo of the river through the branches.
I didn't get the river, but the branches are in full view.
Inside the fixer-upper
I hope the timber foundation in this picture doesn't get omitted by the automatic cropping of blogger.
It was really interesting for me to realize that underneath the plank floorboards would be simple timber. I was expecting the Lowe's generic 2x4, or its equivalent, but was surprised to learn that there were unfinished logs beneath the planks. Cool.
You can see through the fixer-upper
About half way around the loop was this "fixer upper" as my family would say. You see these abandoned, wooden structures all over North Carolina. This is the first one I investigated.
Just inside the door to the right is a flight of stairs. They were still intact and the first couple held my weight, but in the end I decided it wasn't the brightest idea to climb up. So, I wimped out and stayed on the ground.
Whirl
Parts of the Eno River contained flowing AND stagnant water at the same time. I would have thought that an oxymoron had I not been there with my own eyes. Regardless, the end result made a great shot.
Action + Clarity
Back from the greater Phoenix area it was time to embrace my remaining months in North Carolina. To do that, I've set a goal of a minimum of one hike per week. Ideally I'll get more than one hike in each week, but let's be realistic.
My first attempt to reach my goal was to spend a day wandering through Eno River State Park in Durham. The ranger helped me pick a hike that would be both scenic and within my time frame.
Here's the Eno River.
12 January 2007
Confetti
You go Leak. We really do love you (now that we have our championships)! Sorry we were so hard on you; way to take the heat and shut us all up!
Congrats, Urban!
To coin a phrase: The urban renewal is doing well! What do you mean someone's already used that?! Well, crap. Now what? Nevermind, I'm just glad to have exorcised my SOS and "Zooker" demons!
Hetland Makes It!
Our kicker who was four of 13 in the regular season managed to make both field goals in the National Championship Game. Nothing like saving your best for last!
Tebow's In
Tebow powers through to the end zone!!! Here's the future of Florida Football - GO GATORS!
11 January 2007
Minutes Before Kick Off
I don't know if the whole picture will show up. Lately the right side of my images get cut off when I blog them. Here goes nothing. Me and friends at the game...ready to demonstrate just how overrated the Big Ten, OSU specifically, were this season!
OMG - I HAVE A TICKET!
Here I am just inside the gate prepared for the game: ticket, beer, UFAA tattoo, and pompoms (in my back pocket, I swear)!
Welcome to Phoenix!
Arriving in Phoenix, I was mistakenly given the impression Phoenix (really Old Scottsdale) was prepared to handle the traveling fans. We were sorely mistaken. But there's no bitching, even from me, when you come home with the most important of Ws.
Sunset
From Saguaro National Park...the sun sets on my first night in Arizona. It was a beautiful time. Soon I would head home, eat dinner, and leave to collect my fellow Gators from the Phoenix Sky Harbour Airport for a trip to Sedona concluding with the Gators winning the National Championship in Glendale. GO GATORS!
Casa Grande
Heading down to Tucson and Saguaro National Park after arriving in Phoenix. A small detour led me to Casa Grande. See!
The First White House
Overnight in Selma, AL we then made our way down to Montgomery following the path of the Civil War marchers oh so many years ago. While in Montgomery we tracked down the First White House of the Confederacy.
I didn't know mules wear shoes!
Yes, there is a Muleshoe, AL. Just over the border from Florida we found this gem...We actually turned around in order to get this shot!
Location, Location, Location
Mom wanted a vacation home on a lake, so where else would we look but in Alabama? I wish I were joking.
Everyone has a cousin in Miami
Jimmy, you're so right!
If you don't know the Jimmy Buffet tune to which I refer, then you probably don't have a cousin in Miami. Weirdo ;-)
I do, and Christmas was an opportunity to bond with the twins. They are exhausting!
Sing with me!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday Dear Gramma!
Happy Birthday to You!
Christmas in Miami
Once in SoFla, it was time to celebrate my Gramma's birthday (aka: Christmas). This was the first year mom handed over the responsibility of lighting the candles and delivering the cake to my younger sister. She did a great job; I did a surprisingly less than stellar job as photographer!
It's Joe the Lizard
First, over the holiday break from classes we headed to SoFla for Christmas with the family in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. My dad moved from the Ocean to a lake...Here's his new backyard squatter.
03 December 2006
The Gator Team singing our Alma Mater
The Team (plus Albert) down in the Florida section with the band singing our Alma Mater and We Are The Boys. We ARE THE BOYS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
