This is someone's driveway down Mobjack/Bohannon way. Long driveways are everywhere in Mathews, and most of them lead to homes on a river, a creek or the bay. I could drive around for three days and take hundreds of pictures like this. What drew me to this particular lane, even though you can't see it well, are the daylilies (or a similar flower, don't quote me, please) that line the driveway. There were exactly three million of them. I counted.
I have always been curious and love exploring the unknown. For example, when I drive past a long lane like the one above, or an old, abandoned house, I feel compelled to explore it. I'm drawn to drive down the lane, or walk into the house, and take a look around.
Of course my description of exploring is most other people's description of trespassing. This is the vexing part.
As you may have heard by now, there's not a whole lot to do in Mathews unless you have a vivid imagination. Or a lot of wine. When I was younger, I would sit and contemplate my options for the day, and, because I had all the time in the world and needed to stretch it out, I would make a list of all the 3 possibilities, which were:
1. Ride bike.
2. Go exploring.
3. Spy on Middle Sister and Little Sister and plot how they can be sent off to South America to live with some other family.
Speaking of South America, one place I've always felt compelled to explore was the Amazon jungle. Do not ask me why, I know there are bugs and flesh-eating microbes and piranhas and people who don't have any idea what a dishwasher, laundry machine, vacuum cleaner, litter pan, trash mountain, or dirty toilet bowl is. Now, can you understand why I want to go there?
Even as a young adult, I was preparing myself for this eventual and inevitable jungle exploration journey. As a Latin American Studies major in college (don't say a word) I took 3-4 years of Portuguese, which they speak in Brazil.I am quite sure the natives do not speak it in the Amazon Jungle. That is just a minor technicality.
Alas the only jungle I conquer and explore on a daily basis is this house and yard of mine.
It just isn't the same. Pass the wine.
18 comments:
That drive way almost dares you to go down and explore. Getting caught would be a bummer though. Of course the Amazon isn't private so you couldn't get in trouble..unless they have those little pigmies with poison darts.
Years ago I was visiting my cousin on Cape Cod, she took me by the Kennedy compound and the gate was open. It was October, and some maintenance people and painters were the only ones there. The Kennedy's had left for the winter. Well, we decided to park the car off site, and walk in. We ended up getting locked in! We weren't in a house which was the only thing that saved us when the cops came. I can't believe how much I've matured since then. :)
I imagine your Portuguese language skills are a useful asset in Mathews.
PS you're welcome
gj - great story about the Kennedy compound. I have seen it myself but did not dare go in. Bravo!
Portuguese...so far, no clear use for that language here, but you never know. I do use my Spanish quite a bit. Por ejemplo, donde esta la cerveza... o mejor, el vino... o dame la corona con lima, por favor.
Have a great trip to Vegas. Put a dollar on black for me. You'll win. I have a sixth sense for these things.
Those lilies are amazing...and I kept the travel section of the Sunday Times because of all the South American deals....just so you know. There are some deals out there...
A dollar on black it is! And as far as your Spanish goes, all I can say is:
You lush!!
Hasta whenever!
I just wanted to say that I enjoy your site. It brings back so many memories of my childhood. I grew up nearby, in the lower end of King & Queen County. The river - or any body of water - has always been a focal point in my world :)
...Hello CBW! Gosh, I've always dreamed of having a driveway like that! Yeah, that beckons one to drive down it and see what's at the end... Of course around these parts you might find a meth lab surrounded by pit bulls waitin' for you at the end.
...And wow - how impressive that you know how to speak Portuguese! So have you ever been to the jungle? Yeah, I used to dream of explorations like that but now I'm happy just to visit Indiana or somethin'...lol ;o) Yeah, it's sad I know.
...Well, "asta la taco!" :oD
...Blessings...
I speak broken Azores Portuguese Accent (only the accent). Around here it's called "Portagee."
I see long beautiful driveways like that and I think
a) that's a long way to go to check the mail
b) that's a long way to go to get the newspaper
c) that's a long way to haul your trash out for the garbage man
but I'm energetic like that. Don't bogart the wine, CBW. Tu eres muy amable. Yo quiero un burrito as big as mi cabeza. Que lastima!
mpm - good to know about the deals. i've never been but would give my eye teeth to go (or maybe just this bad molar i need out anyway). maybe when i'm an empty nester. will i ever be one?
big hair - good to hear from you. king and queen used to be in our tiny little district in high school sports. please come back and chime in. you never know what deep thoughts will be discussed here....
tj - i only took 3-4 years of portuguese and it would be a stretch-- a stretch as big as from here to jupiter-- to say i can actually speak it. there are come cd's I have w/ brazilian songs that i can pick out a few words here and there, but for the most part i'd just be nodding my head saying bom dia, com vai? over and over again in any actual dialogue (btw I do that in English conversations as well). and no, i've never been but do still daydream occassionally. the longer i stay here in Mathews and the older i get, the more i just want to stay here and not venture any farther than the get-n-zip.
foolery - muchisimas gracias y que lastima indeed. i want one too! extra queso.
I have now overly exercised the foreign language portion of my brain. It must now rest for another decade.
Thanks, y'all.
I agree with grandma J. It really does just dare you to go exploring. I was just wondering what was down that driveway and I wasn't actually there...
You can just envision every person that has ever been there...
What a great picture... Kayce
When I saw that driveway all I could think about was that would be awful in the winter time here.
It would take forever to plow the snow.
But I would love to have it in the other three seasons.
this will represent Attempt #3 to respond to k.c. and b.n. if by some twist of fate, the previous 2 responses show up, i apologize.
k.c. - it is oh-so-tempting. and these driveways/lanes are a dime a dozen.
b.n. - the truth of the matter is this particular lane is so far off the grid, they have to worry about how much gas they have in their car before they turn off the main road, it's so far back (seriously, it has to be planned). and this lane makes it that much further.
i love it. i love this place.
I so enjoy your photographs. Not that I don't enjoy your writing too, because I DO, really I DO! But I love coming out here everyday, now that I have discovered you, (Thanks Foolery!) and seeing your photos.
oh, auds, thank you. i am so grateful to foolery for so much, she's a one of a kind...please come back and visit often.
I could have SWORN I commented here - Mental P (Mental Mama, Lauren, whatever!) said I had to get on over here as your blog was so good! I was certainly drawn to it as the flowers in your pictures are one of my favorite lilies - we call the ditch lilies here in Connecticut as they will grow in any old ditch - and just about anywhere else.
MPM is quite correct! You have a wonderfully written - and photographed blog!
I removed that last comment as I totally messed it up! Sorry! What I was trying to say:
OOps! Meant to add - you might enjoy this blog I visit daily - she too did a post on those gorgeous ditch lilies just about the same time you did! I'm also going to give her YOUR link, and if you both know of each other already, do accept my apologies for repetition!
http://faithfabricandphotos.
blogspot.com/2008/06/
daylily-time.html
tsannie - no worries. blogger.com was doing all sorts of indignities with comments (my own included) in the past 24 hours.
i am so glad you know what these flowers are...i just could not get over how many there were and how long that lane is. it's a whole lot of flowers.
please come back.
I LOVE exploring too. I was always pretty convinced that if I just looked hard enough, I would find secret passageways in old houses and discover forgotten antiques in abandoned barns. So far, I've found nothing that would land me on Antiques Roadshow, the History Channel, or any detective documentary, though I do keep trying. Those "No Trespassing" signs, by the way, often make excellent step-stools or hand-holds for climbing in through broken windows...
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