Queens Creek

These shots of Queens Creek were taken during a recent froggy foggy spell.

The light was low,

and the colors rather drab.

The zoom on my new camera is pretty amazing, though.  I'm still in the novice stage and have too much lots to learn, but I am looking forward to getting out in warmer weather and experimenting.

Although these pictures may be a little drab and dull, my life has been anything but.  My son is spending the semester in Valencia, Spain.  It was a little nerve-wracking to send him off with really only blind faith that he was going to arrive safely and be OK.  But he seems to be flourishing and thriving.  I couldn't be more proud of him on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Daughter is also thriving in UVA's Architecture School.  She, too, is talking about studying abroad at some point.

In other news, we recently celebrated my father's 76th birthday. A grand event with fresh seafood, the party was a success except for the $50 Golden Corral gift card from Baby Sis that "went missing."  After two days of hand-wringing and "Can you look through that nasty garbage one more time to be sure we didn't throw it away?", I am pleased to announce said "missing" gift card was located safely in my mother's pocketbook, where it had been resting comfortably all along during all the commotion and associated hullabaloo.  *sigh*
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In two weeks, I take off for Dillon Beach, California, to reunite with dear friends I've made from this very blog.  Since we are short-staffed at work, and I am doing several people's jobs in addition to my own, to say that I'm excited for this little break away from everything is most assuredly an understatement.

Last but not least, I will be blogging for the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center starting next week. Once it's up and running, I'll link it here.

That's it from this neck of the woods.  Hope all is well where you are.

Sunrise

Here are a few shots of some recent sunrises on Queens Creek here in Mathews County, Virginia.

Once upon a time, I blogged regularly about such wonderful events as a Queens Creek sunrise, but I've been woefully negligent this year.

Shame on me.

Actually, ever since October 2015 shook me up, everything

this whole blog thing has been on the back burner.

Then 2016 happened.  

2016 has been wonderful thus far.

There was so much to report, I didn't know where to begin.  

Then I said I'd start writing again when Daughter's sports were over.

Then I said I'd start writing once she graduated high school.

Now, I am declaring to the universe that I WILL be blogging again once I drop her off in Charlottesville in two short weeks.

Although all I've done is be a mother for the past 21 years, I am actually looking forward to this new adventure in my life.  I am happy for my children to be on their own, and I look forward to what awaits.  Aside from returning to blogging and taking pictures, I look forward to volunteering my time.  The tourism board of Mathews has informally asked me to participate in some of their meetings and help with their internet efforts.  

I think I can do that.

Gladly.

In short, I'm happy for my children to be off on their own pursuing their own interests and building their own new lives.

And I'm excited about what happens next in mine.

Alive and Kickin'

Once upon a time, Chesapeake Bay Daughter graduated high school and delivered the best Valedictorian speech her mother had ever heard.

One of these days Chesapeake Bay Woman will post the video of that speech, which was funny and relaxed and awesome and perfectly delivered--even if she, the mother, does say so herself.

Then, one day, forty thousand and ten other things happened, including sporadic internet and laptop functionality, and Chesapeake Bay Woman let her blog die slide.

In spite of all outward appearances, this blogger blog isn't dead.  Not yet.

There is too much to report and not enough time to do so. At least not until this blogger is Empty Nesting (effective mid-August).  So much has happened here in Mathews since I last checked in.

I promise to return to regular blogging updates as soon as time permits.

I hope all is well in your world!

Rainbow

Last evening, although there wasn't really any rain in the forecast, we had a little shower on top of the 4,869 other rain showers we've had practically every single day and night since January May 1, 2016.

The difference this time is the rain left behind the gift of a rainbow.

From a distance, the pot of gold appeared to be right on the sandy beach of Cow Point, at the mouth of Queens Creek.

Zooming in, however, the pot of gold appeared to be several feet underwater.

There was not just one but two rainbows visible.

A rare treat indeed.

As usual I have nothing but the excuse of being busy for not blogging lately, but with the school year coming to a close, Daughter's graduation nigh, and work being busier than ever, etc., I've had to pick and choose my priorities.

Daughter is unofficially Valedictorian, and is already starting to receive notification of scholarships--which is welcome news indeed.  We're all very excited for and proud of her.  Graduation is Saturday, June 18, orientation to UVA's School of Architecture is July 11-12, and she's off for good mid-August.

I'll try to post more often once we survive these next major milestones.

Sailboat

These pictures were taken just yesterday seven years ago from Gwynns Island.

For a variety of reasons, I've not had the opportunity to get out and take pictures here lately.

But while perusing old files looking for pictures of Daughter for her graduation ceremony, I realized I have thousands and thousands of pictures that I could recycle for this blog.

(These are leaning a lot to the left, I realize. I'm anything but perfect.)

It's astonishing to me that I've been blogging for over eight years now.  I started in 2008 using smoke signals and hieroglyphics a desktop PC and dial-up internet.

All I did was blink a few times, and now it's 2016.  I am using a laptop (or, as my father would say, a flaptop) and have WiFi at my house.

I still don't know how to use my camera on anything other than Auto mode though.

In nine more years, I'll be eligible to retire officially.

Although I look forward to the option of not working, I'm not sure I want to wish away nine more years so quickly.

We're in the last few days/weeks of the school year, and Daughter is eager to be done with her senior year.  She's looking forward to starting college, and I couldn't be more proud of her.  In addition to working at Merroir, she's working part-time for Hudgins Design Collaborative, a local architecture firm. She recently won a scholastic award of excellence from the Marine Corps for having the highest GPA in her class, and she also won the Excellence in Science award.  Her bio teacher, who presented the award, gave us a copy of the speech, a portion of which is below:

" ...What impresses me most about this student is the fact that her work ethic is not confined to the classroom setting.  I have seen her fist-hand on the soccer field, on the basketball court, and on the trail for cross country.  No matter what this student is doing, she is a relentlessly hard worker and a fantastic team player."  

In entirely unrelated news, we're considering constructing an ark since it's been raining the entire month of May so much lately.  I'm hoping the sun makes an appearance this week, but I don't recall a rainier May than this one.

That's about it from this neck of the woods.  I hope all is well in your world.

Aaron's Beach

Sunday afternoon after a four-mile run, I drove down to Aaron's Beach just to say hello.

Although the sun was shining brightly, the wind was brisk.

Temperatures were only in the forties.

(Saturday, when I went running down Redart, it started snowing!)

(I'm really ready for warm weather to settle in and for the cold to go away.)

Anyway, the sand at the beach's entrance has shifted since I last visited.  

But most of the rest of it 

looks the same.

It was another busy week here in the Chesapeake Bay household.  Daughter purchased her prom dress, and in a few weeks I'll be taking my very last prom pictures as a mother.  Sunday night was her basketball banquet, the very last sports banquet I'll be attending as a mother.  Her cap and gown recently arrived, and before too long I'll be a blubbering idiot blinking back tears at her graduation.  She's very eager for high school to be over and done with, and she can't wait to get to UVA.  I'm so proud of her.

I continue to press the limits of an odometer with my 100-mile daily commute, but I have been doing some fun things as well.  On Saturday, Middle Sister invited me to an oyster roast at the Mathews Yacht Club, where she recently applied to become a member. We thoroughly enjoyed a seafood feast with some fascinating people.

Baby Sis and I are once again traveling to Nashville to visit our blog friend Lauren.  We will also attempt to run another half marathon.  Since my car accident, I've not been able to get back to where I was physically.  There are more aches and pains and I just feel older different.  But I'm not letting that deter me.  I'm able to run six miles without stopping, just not sure I can do 13.1 miles without walking, so I'm not making that a priority.  I just want to finish the race and not worry about my time or whether I have to walk or not.  Plus, it's not really about the race.  It's about the adventure that Baby Sis and I will have with our friend in Nashville.  That doesn't happen until the end of the month, but I'm gearing up for it nevertheless.

There's more to tell, and when things simmer down here I will tell the story from beginning to end.

It's a very good one.

I hope all is well in your world.  Have a great week!

Maria Spadaccini

Last Thursday was Senior Night for the Mathews Lady Blue Devils.

My daughter Maria is one of seven seniors associated with the team.

Her father is an assistant coach. 

It's hard to believe that she's graduating this year.

I know I'm her mother and everything, but indulge me for a minute.
She's a pretty darn great basketball player.  

But there's so much more to Maria.

She was one of only 96 accepted early action to University of Virginia's Architecture School.
16,768 students applied to UVA  (overall) early action.  But only 5,193 were accepted.  And she was 1 of only 96 accepted to the A-school.

It simply amazes me. 

She's beautiful.

She's kind.

She's wonderful.

And I am so very proud.

From the brochure at Thursday's game:

"Maria Spadaccini, #21, is the daughter of Janice Vogel and Thomas Spadaccini.  Maria is a member of the National Beta Club, National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.  She attended Girls State this past summer, has been on the honor roll every semester in high school and was awarded Junior of the Year last year.  Maria has played basketball for four years, ran cross country for three years, played soccer for two years and ran track for one year.  She plans to attend the University of Virginia in the fall of 2016 and pursue a degree in Architecture."

She also works at Merroir in her spare time.

On behalf of your aunts, your grandparents and your equally incredible brother Sam, way to go! We love you too much * and are so very proud of you, Maria.


*When Maria was only about 3 or 4, she said she loved me too much instead of so much.  The too much has stuck with this family.

**Many, many, many  thanks to Charlie Koenig of the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal  for sending me the first four photos above.  I greatly appreciate them!