Aaron's Beach

After spending most of Saturday doing physical labor entailing shovels, rakes, weeds, rose bushes, hedge clippers and mulch spreading, I declared Sunday a Do Nothing Day and spent the afternoon lounging on Aaron's Beach.

Although you can't tell in these pictures, the beach was the most crowded I've seen in a long time.

"Crowded" defined in Mathews terms means more than two other people were on the beach.  Normally I come here and don't see a soul.  And that's just fine by me.

I chose a desolate spot right under those trees off in the distance.

Just one hour of solitude listening to nothing but the water gently lapping the shore was all it took to rejuvenate me.

After my beach therapy, I met Chesapeake Bay Daughter for lunch, returned home for a nap and then awoke to what felt like a gall bladder attack.  Frantically searching the internet for home remedies, I choked down some apple cider vinegar, took a hot bath, and then, just as I'd convinced myself a hospital trip would be imminent, it all went away.   Crisis averted.  Thankfully. But it will be a long time before I eat a hamburger and french fries again, I can tell you that.

Anyway.

Saturday night's gathering at Williams Wharf was the other bright spot in the weekend.  There was music, dancing, wine, good food and good company. A near-perfect evening.

Alas, it's all over now.  Next on the list is to get through another work week and prepare for Memorial Day weekend, when good friends will descend and help me laugh my way through the unofficial start of summer.

I can't wait.

Aarons Beach

These were taken a few weeks ago from Aarons Beach.  

The boat was off in the distance fishing gill nets.

Have a great weekend.

Bay Blue

As I was loading these photos of a blue Chesapeake Bay taken from the shores of Mathews County's beaches, I contemplated a title and initially came up with nothing.  I walked away, came back.

Still nothing.

Realizing I couldn't have an untitled blog post, I called Me, Myself and I to a conference and declared the need for a brainstorming session.

Me:  "I see blue."
Myself:  "It's the bay."
I:  "Blue Bay. Bay Blue. Could be a play on baby blue."

The three of us decided this was the best we could do on short notice.

The three of us are also looking forward to some down time this weekend, if that's possible.

(When teenagers and their college deadlines and post-exam celebrations are involved, odds are never not always in your favor.)

I hope your weekend is a great one.

p.s. Welcome to November. It's here already.

Coming and Going

Here are some shots of a baby boat following its mother 

into and out of the harbor at St. Michaels.

Of course, very few people except me call them 

baby boats or mother boats for that matter.

But the one thing about not writing for anyone other than yourself

is the creative license to call things whatever you feel like calling them.

Today, I see a baby boat.

Most people with any sense call them dinghies. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Dinghy.

Dinghy.

Dinghy.

That's one funny word, you have to admit.

Baby boat sounds cute and slightly more dignified, in my opinion.

(Dignified may be a stretch.)

Anyway.

When I first loaded these pictures and slapped on a title (which I often do before I have any idea what I'm going to write-- if you care to call this writing, and I don't because it's just meandering thoughts), I was thinking about how I sat and watched this particular boating family come in and out of the harbor and how here lately it feels as if all I've done all summer is come and go, between commuting to work and all the various trips and activities.  

If these are my biggest problems, life is good.  

But I sure am looking forward to a few consecutive days where the car never leaves the yard.  

Also, I need a new car new tires.

Have a dinghy of a day!

Clouds

These were taken from the Eastern Shore as the sun was setting on the Chesapeake Bay. I titled this post Clouds rather than Sunset, because I want you to focus on the clouds instead of the glare  the sun itself is blurred.  I was using my backup camera and honestly was more focused on the clouds at the time.

There are a few more sunset pictures that I took later on that came out better.  I'll save those for tomorrow and/or Friday.

We are slowly being forced back into lives that are tied to the school calendar.  Daughter is trying out for volleyball and practices began this week.  Son is frantically trying to finish a school-related project before he takes a few more trips out of town to visit colleges and family.

And I want to stay stuck in the memories of our last summer together before Son graduates high school and prepares to leave home.

Thanks for stopping by.


 

Pelicans, Pound Nets and Sunsets

These were taken near Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore.

Son, Daughter and I stayed here for two nights after 

spending the two previous nights in my friend Iris's beach house in Delaware.

Most of the pictures I took in Delaware were from the iPhone.

At the moment, I am too tired to deal with transferring them.

Anyway, we enjoyed the visit with Iris and her family immensely.

The two nights we spent in Kiptopeke were very relaxing.

And the sunsets? 

 Spectacular.

We started the drive back to Mathews Monday morning.  The trip takes us over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, which drops us off in the Virginia Beach vicinity. Son had the great idea to extend the vacation by just a few hours by stopping in Virginia Beach.

Who was I to say no to more beach time which would also delay our return to reality?

We parked the car, dragged our beach chairs out one more time and enjoyed the most beautiful weather.

Then we drove home.

Some of us are in denial that there is work tomorrow.  But some of us can't complain about having the opportunity to get away again so soon after our North Carolina vacation.

No, some of us have nothing to complain about at all.

I hope your weekend was great and that your week is too.

Easter Weekend

The other day I was going through some old photos and found these taken several years ago from the Eastern Shore. We were at one of our favorite places  to almost catch the tent on fire when a horrific storm whips up the embers from the campfire in the middle of the night  to camp, Cherrystone, just north of Cape Charles.

We're still suffering through cold weather here, and focusing on these helps remind me that warmer weather can't be that far away.  Can it?

The weekend will be a mixed bag of activities.  Friday after work I will drive from Williamsburg to Northumberland for Daughter's soccer game, assuming there is no snow or rain, and there better not be.

Saturday, if it is warm enough, I have tons of yard work to do.  I don't want to talk about it, I'm so far behind due to the cold weather, snow and rain.

Sunday Baby Sis will be coming home for an Easter food fest that my mother and I will prepare.

Meanwhile, Son is traveling by himself (via train) to his paternal grandparents in New Jersey to kick off the first half of his spring break.  One of the days will include a trip into NYC to tour the United Nations, among other fascinating activities.

So, to recap, this holiday weekend will entail:

• CBW racing all over Kingdom Come after work for daughter's soccer game.
• CBW pulling weeds, hauling pine straw, and picking up several storms' worth of pine cones, limbs and sticks
• CBW cooking Easter dinner.
• Daughter relaxing at home, enjoying her spring break, visiting with friends.
• Son touring the United Nations.

Yep, that sounds about right for this family.

Hope your weekend is a great one. Happy Easter.