I need nature. It's official. After spending days in a city it is like a long hot bath for me to spend a few hours amongst the trees and trails. After spending a couple of days with my amazing high school friend Lyn, We headed to North Carolina for Carl's color conference in Raleigh. It was a great success and seems to be the tip of the prism iceberg for him. Raleigh was a strange city. Big, sprawling and empty of people. It felt like a ghost town to me, but the ghosts were so polite. Carl sneezed and people across the street drawled.."God Bless you!" We spent time in a museum, sadly remembering our countries slow speed at which w accomplished basic civil rights. It was strange seeing great statues to commemorate war heroes that were pro slavery. After leaving we headed to Williamsburg for a literal trip down memory lane. I went to my old hose and had a look and then we strolled through the cobblestone streets of Colonial Williamsburg reveling in the serendipity of our timing. We arrived late afternoon and found a hotel online, sight unseen..then we went to look for a bite to eat. We arrived at an outdoor cafe where just the moment we arrived a couple left and we got their table right on the avenue, overlooking the lit up stores and people dressed in colonial garb waking the street. It was an amazing seat and it was literally still warm! After dinner and a couple of beers we walked down the road and got caught up in a stream of people headed towards a church. we arrived minutes before a free organ concert of Bach and Beethoven started and the only seats left were a little private booth with pews for Carl and I and it was free! Afterward, we left and happened upon a group being told ghost stories from the 1700's, so we hung around a bit and learned a few new things. Then we needed to use the bathroom and were allowed in to ta tavern that usually only allows the patrons who paid the 80$ fee for the diner experience...we were laughed as we went in and were surrounded by minstrels playing and got shuffled towards a card reader, with a British accent, still in costume....we had our fortunes read and finally headed towards the hotel. It was cheap..what can I say, but the room was nice, clean, and comfy. It was only after the air conditioning broke and the receptionist woke us up at 12:30 am that we complained...and got a 25% discount the next day, leaving us with a 35$ bill for the night.
Today is Sabbatical day 74 and we are in Baltimore, Maryland. Heading to NJ today. It has been a long few weeks, filled with friends and food and fun, and we are ready to recharge at Edie's and get ready for our trip to Europe. Just wanted to catch up for a few minutes...dinner tonight with girls from Matolly!! Tomorrow back to the trees. Url for photos!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/tlcj18?authkey=Gv1sRgCIOC9bXnh4-n6QE
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
About Time
Spending time on a lake in Pennsylvania. (Thank you Lili and Bruno) We have been here for 12 days.
On the one hand it's a long time in the midst of our travels to just stop and be and on the other hand it seems like we have only just arrived. We are soaking up the autumnal moments. Sleeping like we are practicing for hibernation.
It is serene here of course, but what defines this serenity? Is it the all encompassing stillness of the evenings, although rich with the sounds of night birds, insects and wind through the forest canopy? Or is it the darkness which settles like a warm shawl on an elderly woman?
The air here is so fresh I keep pulling it in with a sense of reverence and awe. I want to bottle it to take home with me. Our mornings are late, the blankets are warm. We walk along the paths and roads surrounding the lake, camera sometimes in hand. We lunch around 2:00 then canoe or walk again..evenings spent watching tv, playing pool, ping pong or cards...dinner. We have been on the South Beach Diet, trying to trim the weeks of travel and treats from our bodies. Boy if there is anything that will make time go by more slowly, just go on a diet! I have been mercilessly thinking about my next chocolate!
Loving and missing you all. Tam
heres the link to the pics...
http://picasaweb.google.com/100015686713094864360/Pennsylvania?authkey=Gv1sRgCPnw8qKB-qjTogE&feat=directlink
On the one hand it's a long time in the midst of our travels to just stop and be and on the other hand it seems like we have only just arrived. We are soaking up the autumnal moments. Sleeping like we are practicing for hibernation.
It is serene here of course, but what defines this serenity? Is it the all encompassing stillness of the evenings, although rich with the sounds of night birds, insects and wind through the forest canopy? Or is it the darkness which settles like a warm shawl on an elderly woman?
The air here is so fresh I keep pulling it in with a sense of reverence and awe. I want to bottle it to take home with me. Our mornings are late, the blankets are warm. We walk along the paths and roads surrounding the lake, camera sometimes in hand. We lunch around 2:00 then canoe or walk again..evenings spent watching tv, playing pool, ping pong or cards...dinner. We have been on the South Beach Diet, trying to trim the weeks of travel and treats from our bodies. Boy if there is anything that will make time go by more slowly, just go on a diet! I have been mercilessly thinking about my next chocolate!
Loving and missing you all. Tam
heres the link to the pics...
http://picasaweb.google.com/100015686713094864360/Pennsylvania?authkey=Gv1sRgCPnw8qKB-qjTogE&feat=directlink
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Hot Hot Hot!
I'm awake by myself, quiet except for the sounds of 4 fans humming throughout the apartment. It is 94 degrees and sticky.
Morgaine, Jen, and Kaera asleep on the pull out couches. Kaera is perpendicular as usual! She is a funny sleeper! We have been gone a month from home. Seems longer seems shorter. We have seen and done so many things and people have crossed our paths with blessing sin abundance. Meeting Stuart and Cher Marie and Allen, was so much fun. Thank you Jennifer for encouraging us to call on your relatives! Bumping into camp friends daily n Burlington. "You know more people here than I do," Morgaine laughed. Not really, but we do seem to have run into all of them that we do know! Dinner with Cami and family at Ten Stones again, feels like coming home there. Twisting tomatoes off the vine, pulling up carrots, picking sweet raspberries right off the bush. Heaven. It is time to move on and leave Morgaine and her roommate their apartment! Leaving for Plymouth, Boston and then Northampton, Mass. Need a day off from all the rich food and drink. Who knew that traveling had so many calories? Vermont is dangerous that way. Cheese, micro breweries, maple syrup on everything!
Yesterday we went to the "potholes" enormous rock pools formed by the water falls near Bolton ski resort. Gorgeous.
OK off to shower off the 7:00 a.m. heat!
Morgaine, Jen, and Kaera asleep on the pull out couches. Kaera is perpendicular as usual! She is a funny sleeper! We have been gone a month from home. Seems longer seems shorter. We have seen and done so many things and people have crossed our paths with blessing sin abundance. Meeting Stuart and Cher Marie and Allen, was so much fun. Thank you Jennifer for encouraging us to call on your relatives! Bumping into camp friends daily n Burlington. "You know more people here than I do," Morgaine laughed. Not really, but we do seem to have run into all of them that we do know! Dinner with Cami and family at Ten Stones again, feels like coming home there. Twisting tomatoes off the vine, pulling up carrots, picking sweet raspberries right off the bush. Heaven. It is time to move on and leave Morgaine and her roommate their apartment! Leaving for Plymouth, Boston and then Northampton, Mass. Need a day off from all the rich food and drink. Who knew that traveling had so many calories? Vermont is dangerous that way. Cheese, micro breweries, maple syrup on everything!
Yesterday we went to the "potholes" enormous rock pools formed by the water falls near Bolton ski resort. Gorgeous.
OK off to shower off the 7:00 a.m. heat!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Vermont..lakes..camp..
A week (or so) of Wonders. This Vermont…green mountain.. every flower that I grew up with is here in abundance, Goldenrod, Chicory, Queen Anne’ Lace. The fresh fruits and vegetables taste like home. Tomatoes plucked fresh off the vine, corn just picked and delivered by the farmer himself to the corner store. We are in Morgan, Vermont, at our friends’ cabin on Lake Seymour. It is the cleanest lake in Vermont, or so we are told. We came up to rest after our week of volunteering at Camp! That was amazing..more later….Yesterday we drove the 5 miles to the Canadian border, delighting in the Opera House and Library that straddle the border. We decided to walk over the border, showing our passports and answering the usual questions..”No we don’t have any firearms.” We walked through into the tiny town of Stanstead, one of the first flourishing border towns. At the top of the hill, and past Stanstead College was a museum in the former house of the wealthy, local, Colby family. It was a treat to walk in the house and discover all of the furniture, books, artwork, kitchen utensils of the last few generations of this family. Walking back to the border, we saw the immigration sign for cars but nothing for travelers on foot. Naively, we thought it was ok to just walk through. Well, getting in to our car and being stopped by border patrol changed that idea!! Luckily it was a simple mater of explaining ourselves, showing our passports and going on our way. Apparently, when we had first arrived, we had driven by the opera house and had accidentally driven into Canada for 2 seconds and RMP(Royal Mounted Police) had us on camera, and wanted to know who we were!! All very exciting! Not exactly the RandR we were supposed to be having! But today we are back at the cabin, resting after our week at camp. Kaera is at Morgaine’s having a little sister time. If there is one thing that will stay in our memories after this sabbatical is over, it will be camp. We were there for their 20th anniversary. It is a camp that was started to provide a fun summer experience for the children of rural and migrant workers. In fact, it was much, much more. The stories that these kids held in their hearts had me in tears mid week by the side of the lake. Fathers in prison, foster homes, siblings they don’t even know by name. But the most amazing thing of all were the counselors who had been campers themselves and had come year after year to this extraordinary place. I wanted t adopt a few of them and take them home. We are wondering if there is any way to organize a few of them to come to Hawaii some time. The camp rents the space for the 10 days, at Camp Aloha!! Of all things…on Lake Fairlee. Carl and I each were counselors for kids in tents/cabins. Kaera worked at the waterfront as a lifeguard, and taught swimming. Every mealtime was spent with our “dining family”, which included Carl, Kaera and I, and 6 other campers of varying ages. Mealtimes were always funny. Everyday was filled with laughter, singing and long long treks from our tents to the main part of camp. I taught yoga three days, Kaera taught Tahitian Dance and Hawaiian Culture, and we also had the opportunity to join in helping other activity leaders. The most interesting was the bee keeping activity. We searched for the flowers, the bees, learned about keeping hives, and bees. It was really cool and we learned a lot…for instance, did you know that honey never goes bad..never! the FDA gives honey a shelf life of 4000 years! However, most of the USA’s honey farmers use pretty scary materials in their hives…one thing we were reminded of, that I will remember…”Know where your honey..and all food for that matter, comes from.” My tent was basic, wooden flooring with canvas top and side. There were resident spiders with muscles and hair, and skunks passing by in the night. I was very grateful that I never ran in to one on my midnight walks to the “jinx.” I had three girls in my tent, all going into 8th or 9th grade. One the young wiccan, in search of herself through vampires, emo music and scary books. She was so sweet and because I told them that I enjoyed seeing all of their different syles/positions while sleeping, she asked me every single day. “How did I sleep today?” She had been told her entire life that she was “ugly and a pain in the ass,” and I spent my week reminding her of the truth of the many forms of beauty. She was special and in need of some attention. Then, there was another. She was given to me because the other three counselors had had her in previous years and It was voted that it was my turn..i waited to meet her with bated breath. Well, she was a handful to be sure. high energy but, slow in getting things done, very needy of attention, but all in all, her dimples were the thing I will remember the most. She had a smile that lit up the room. Her mother told me on pick up day that was a man made dimple, as she had had an “accident with a door,” when she was little. I think that dimple was meant to be and will serve her, and everyone around her , in the future. My last camper's mother was the camp nurse, and she was a sweet, shy girl who was at camp for the first time. She served as a great link between the two others and added a charm of her own to the tent. We spent every rest hour together, assuring ourselves that we would not sleep…this time. We had a rule that we would lie on our beds with eyes shut, for the first ten minutes. Then, quiet reading, cards, or writing was ok. We never once made it to the reading or games, as we all fell asleep almost immediately. Every day was filled with so many activities, that there wasn’t a lot of down time. We had storytelling, with professional storytellers one night by the fire, carnival one night, scavenger hunts and swimming in the dark. That was part and parcel of our time at camp. Full, rich, and exhausting! When we got here to the lake, Carl and I slept for 11 hours straight!
We are spending a few days with no tv, no internet, and loving every second. Carl asked me today, over lunch of homemade mushroom omelettes made from eggs we collected at the local farm, and brown baguettes from the bakery, on the Tete a tete chair, “What else is there left to do when we have already experienced the peak of perfection” I thought for a minute and replied, “Be grateful I guess. And wait for the next one” And I am.
first pics..barns and buildings:
Friday, August 13, 2010
Vermont
We won't be needing to buy our usual calendar this year.."Barns of New England." Around every bend, I am stopping the car, jumping out and taking a few shots...will post them soon! Vermont is gorgeous.
This state is full cream milk, pesticide free and organic. It's colorful painted "tattoos" on the arms of young girls at a local music festival. It's book stores loaded with the books you want to read. Its rolling hills and green green fields dotted with yellow daisies. People play hard here. We visited Lake Seymour, in Morgan, and went tubing, to the delight and horror of Kaera and I. Our screams were a cross between exhilaration and vehement trepidation. Carl and Morgaine were naturals, although Carl forgot that he is older than he looks and is feeling the after effects!
On the other side of the street, literally, is the Vermont of the college students. At least in central Burlington, there always seems to be a party, and they always start after 10:00. Every morning, a walk to get coffee, is like a walk through demolition area. The streets are strewn with bottles, trash and panties! Yikes! Who's parents are paying for this? Oh, that's us. I do remember college being fun, but maybe not the is much fun. As I said, people play herd here.
Speaking of playing, e are off to camp today to work as counselors. Camp Exclamation Point was started 18 years ago to enable the children of migrant workers to experience some summer fun. We are excited to be a part of that. My biggest concern, is that I go to the bathroom at least once every night. It'a dark out there on the way to the latrine! Am I going to wake up the children to go with me? I can just see it now, me shaking awake a sleeping girl.."OK, OK I'll go with you, get up, but stop making so much noise." I figure, they will never know! :)
It reminds me of our time hiking in the Himalayas. I had a little port-a-potty that I carried on the back of my backpack during the day. I think it was an old yogurt container! There was no way in Hades I was going to creep out in the middle of the night in some tiger infested forest. Ok so there are no tigers in Vermont, but I'm still taking a body guard!
This state is full cream milk, pesticide free and organic. It's colorful painted "tattoos" on the arms of young girls at a local music festival. It's book stores loaded with the books you want to read. Its rolling hills and green green fields dotted with yellow daisies. People play hard here. We visited Lake Seymour, in Morgan, and went tubing, to the delight and horror of Kaera and I. Our screams were a cross between exhilaration and vehement trepidation. Carl and Morgaine were naturals, although Carl forgot that he is older than he looks and is feeling the after effects!
On the other side of the street, literally, is the Vermont of the college students. At least in central Burlington, there always seems to be a party, and they always start after 10:00. Every morning, a walk to get coffee, is like a walk through demolition area. The streets are strewn with bottles, trash and panties! Yikes! Who's parents are paying for this? Oh, that's us. I do remember college being fun, but maybe not the is much fun. As I said, people play herd here.
Speaking of playing, e are off to camp today to work as counselors. Camp Exclamation Point was started 18 years ago to enable the children of migrant workers to experience some summer fun. We are excited to be a part of that. My biggest concern, is that I go to the bathroom at least once every night. It'a dark out there on the way to the latrine! Am I going to wake up the children to go with me? I can just see it now, me shaking awake a sleeping girl.."OK, OK I'll go with you, get up, but stop making so much noise." I figure, they will never know! :)
It reminds me of our time hiking in the Himalayas. I had a little port-a-potty that I carried on the back of my backpack during the day. I think it was an old yogurt container! There was no way in Hades I was going to creep out in the middle of the night in some tiger infested forest. Ok so there are no tigers in Vermont, but I'm still taking a body guard!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Chicago
Chicago is not subtle. It's tall, and hot and crowded and full of colour. Walking the street for a minute, I hear Russian, Italian, Hip Hop/Rap, Spanish and English conversations. All musical, all seemingly singing a unison, of separate sounds. First day here we are at the top of the John Hancock building (a 100-story, Class A multi-use building, recognized around the world for its distinctive architecture, prestigious location and presence on Chicago's skyline.)Views of 4 states obscured by the haze of the day. Looking down and feeling the vertiginous urge to jump. Walking around the glass room completely in awe of the size of this city.
we are awoken by a screaming crash...."What the hell was that?" Carl and I asked each other in bed the next morning. We are staying in the middle of the Gold Coast downtown Chicago, prime real estate. Joan Cusack is our neighbor and we are surrounded by tall buildings. We awaited sirens, Carl thought we should turn on the news.....it was a really eerie moment. After being on the 94th floor of the John Hancock and thinking of the souls lost in 911, my thoughts turned in that direction. Carl thought it was an explosion of some sort. In the end, it turned out to be lightning, striking one of the rods atop of a nearby skyscraper. Good morning Chicago!JOHN HANCOCK CENTER is a 100-story, Class A multi-use building, recognized around the world for its distinctive architecture, prestigious location and presence on Chicago's skyline. For these reasons, the building is sought after by both large and small office tenants.
Yesterday we spent the day amongst our favorite celebrities......Rubens, Cartier Bresson, Van Gogh Degas and Monet. the Art Institute is astounding. After 4 hours and about 4 miles of walking we came back and made our friends a thai curry, and went to bed. Today we're off to Navy Pier to take Kaera on a ferris wheel (The Ferris Wheel was invented in Chicago)...giving her a break from museums until tomorrow!! Saturday we are going to the botanical gardens about 20 mins out of the city, and we booked tickets to a Second City (comedy) performance for Sunday evening. Looking forward to it all.
Last night while Carl and i were walking to buy the food, we were crossing the busy street and a guy started talking to us..."Hey that's so nice, you are the first people I have seen showing each other affection around here in a long time. I mean, I see'd the one woman reach out and her husband grabbed her hand and they kept walking...but not like you...this is real sweet..you ought to feel real good about yourselves, yeah that's right.." We smiled, thanked him for the complement, amazed that he took the time to tell us, then....he added..." hey I hate to ask, but could you give a brother a few coins, I mean I really hate to ask, man , I dont have work, this is so embarrassing, but you know, I dont sell drugs, I don't.. " Carl handed him some money. " Thanks man, and you two keep up that love, it's real nice..." I know he probably does this a lot, but somehow I like to believe he really meant it! Chicago is not subtle!
Pics....top of the John Hancock building...Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate - the Bean - sculpture in Chicago's Millenium Park. more..more...Bruno's door sign..President of Channel 2 news CBS Chicago...his office...wow!! kaera on air! Real Chicago...cheesy pizza....Chicago by night from Navy Pier Ferris Wheel....Free Zoo...adorable meerkat!...Chicago's Botanic gardens...a whirlwind week!
we are awoken by a screaming crash...."What the hell was that?" Carl and I asked each other in bed the next morning. We are staying in the middle of the Gold Coast downtown Chicago, prime real estate. Joan Cusack is our neighbor and we are surrounded by tall buildings. We awaited sirens, Carl thought we should turn on the news.....it was a really eerie moment. After being on the 94th floor of the John Hancock and thinking of the souls lost in 911, my thoughts turned in that direction. Carl thought it was an explosion of some sort. In the end, it turned out to be lightning, striking one of the rods atop of a nearby skyscraper. Good morning Chicago!JOHN HANCOCK CENTER is a 100-story, Class A multi-use building, recognized around the world for its distinctive architecture, prestigious location and presence on Chicago's skyline. For these reasons, the building is sought after by both large and small office tenants.
Yesterday we spent the day amongst our favorite celebrities......Rubens, Cartier Bresson, Van Gogh Degas and Monet. the Art Institute is astounding. After 4 hours and about 4 miles of walking we came back and made our friends a thai curry, and went to bed. Today we're off to Navy Pier to take Kaera on a ferris wheel (The Ferris Wheel was invented in Chicago)...giving her a break from museums until tomorrow!! Saturday we are going to the botanical gardens about 20 mins out of the city, and we booked tickets to a Second City (comedy) performance for Sunday evening. Looking forward to it all.
Last night while Carl and i were walking to buy the food, we were crossing the busy street and a guy started talking to us..."Hey that's so nice, you are the first people I have seen showing each other affection around here in a long time. I mean, I see'd the one woman reach out and her husband grabbed her hand and they kept walking...but not like you...this is real sweet..you ought to feel real good about yourselves, yeah that's right.." We smiled, thanked him for the complement, amazed that he took the time to tell us, then....he added..." hey I hate to ask, but could you give a brother a few coins, I mean I really hate to ask, man , I dont have work, this is so embarrassing, but you know, I dont sell drugs, I don't.. " Carl handed him some money. " Thanks man, and you two keep up that love, it's real nice..." I know he probably does this a lot, but somehow I like to believe he really meant it! Chicago is not subtle!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Erv
Here we are in Washington State in the Auburn area. Erv bought 100 acres in this valley back in 1960. He was from Minnesota. We met him while feeding carrots to his white thoroughbred. He told us how he had sold parcels over the years to make his way. He was a lovely old grandpa of a man, and invited us to walk around the barn and visit with his colts and race horses. He also let us know that the races were on today.
I've never been to the races and we decided to go and try our luck at betting.
We are staying with our friends Scott and Erin and their adorable little ones, Jacey and Reid. We all piled in to their red Durango and headed off to Emerald Downs. The excitement around the place was palpable and we felt the buzzing of the people surrounding the track. My grandmother Marjorie passed away a few months ago, and she spent just about every day at the tracks in her last year. I felt her presence around me and smiled thinking about how much fun she must have had. I never understood the draw until I held that piece of paper in my hand and squeezed it tight while cheering on Fleetheart to win! We lost that race, but won 10$ on the next one, .."Seattlegame", Erin and Scott also won their bet. It was a blast. We all had fun, the kids were great and we left the arena with smiles on our faces and ice cream dripping down our cones.
On the way back, Jacey, who is 3 and 1/2 looked up at a cloud and said, "Look it looks like Einstein's."
I had no idea what she meant and Carla and I looked over her heads at each other with surprise. This kid sees Einstein in the clouds? She was talking about a car on a kids TV show, but we laughed anyway.
Last day here..off to Chicago tonight. Thanks Erv, for the idea and "we love you" to our family here in Washington.
I've never been to the races and we decided to go and try our luck at betting.
We are staying with our friends Scott and Erin and their adorable little ones, Jacey and Reid. We all piled in to their red Durango and headed off to Emerald Downs. The excitement around the place was palpable and we felt the buzzing of the people surrounding the track. My grandmother Marjorie passed away a few months ago, and she spent just about every day at the tracks in her last year. I felt her presence around me and smiled thinking about how much fun she must have had. I never understood the draw until I held that piece of paper in my hand and squeezed it tight while cheering on Fleetheart to win! We lost that race, but won 10$ on the next one, .."Seattlegame", Erin and Scott also won their bet. It was a blast. We all had fun, the kids were great and we left the arena with smiles on our faces and ice cream dripping down our cones.
On the way back, Jacey, who is 3 and 1/2 looked up at a cloud and said, "Look it looks like Einstein's."
I had no idea what she meant and Carla and I looked over her heads at each other with surprise. This kid sees Einstein in the clouds? She was talking about a car on a kids TV show, but we laughed anyway.
Last day here..off to Chicago tonight. Thanks Erv, for the idea and "we love you" to our family here in Washington.
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