Three Things

On Sunday's jaunt that started in Redart, I paused to admire the reflections in this marsh.  As I was driving away, something caught my eye.

Up there.  In that tree.

Pardon the lack of light, but it was a dreary day.

There he is.

I love the zoom on my camera.

Welcome to Thursday, which is a day sometimes usually reserved for the sharing of three thoughts, no matter how random.  Three is just a suggestion, you can share nothing, you can share everything or you can share something in between.

I'll go first because I can.

1.  A dear, dear person with whom I've worked for many years retires this week.  Since I don't go back in to the office until Monday, we had to say our goodbyes yesterday.  It was the first time in, well, ever I've shed a tear for someone who was leaving at work.  I could write a book on things we've been through together and will miss Sandy a great deal.

2.  My Christmas tree is up.  Still.  Yes.  Even better worse, because it is still up, I plug in the lights every night at supper time.  Hey, it's up, might as well enjoy it. The lights create a nice table side ambiance.  Dear Queens Creek Neighbors Who Can See Said Christmas Lights Illuminated Every Evening:  We're aware of the date on the calendar, we're just struggling to meet daily demands and will take down the tree whenever we can.  Or not.  Your patience and tolerance are appreciated.  Thank you.

3.  In local news, this week's Gazette Journal reports that 106 species and 17,405 birds were counted in Mathews and Ware Neck during the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count.  If any of those Christmas birds counted happen to be searching for a Christmas tree to perch in, I happen to have one still standing in my living room.  Also, is it too late to add one heron in a dead pine tree to the official birding count?  After all, had the heron above known such an official, organized event was going on, he surely would have flown a little bit south to be included in the headcount.  (Or is it beak count?)


Now it's your turn to share three things.  Or more. Or less.  Whatever is on  your mind.  Anything at all.

Boat

This old lady sits quietly in what might be called the boat graveyard of J&M Marina in Deltaville.

There are plenty of fully functioning, floating boats at this marina, 

but I happen to love this section the best.

And this boat in particular.

This bird was watching my every move.  She evidently likes the boat as much as I do.

The flurry of Thanksgiving is over, and now we're plunged head first into the frenzy of Christmas.  All this comes at the time of year when my energy is zapped, and my desire to do anything or go anywhere sinks to an all-time low.

Never mind.

Basketball officially starts this week with an away game tonight at Northumberland.  I will drive the hour to work in the dark, put in my day there, and race the I Don't Know How Many Miles after work to see the game, then drive the hour or so back home in the dark.  There is another away game on Wednesday and a home game Friday night.  Somewhere in between, I have to take Daughter to town (an hour away) to shop for a dress for the upcoming Holly Ball.  Son is frantically applying to colleges, and I must try to figure out when I am setting up the Monster Tree that, along with all the decorations, must be hauled from the depths of the cold, dark basement.

Anyway, it's going to be a very hectic month. I just want to sleep.

Hope your December is off to a better start.

Buy Boat

These buy boats were gathered at the Tides Inn as part of a festival of sorts that took place there this weekend.

Aside from going here Saturday afternoon, I didn't leave the house all weekend.

Sunday was way too cold, and all I wanted to do was hibernate until June 2014 sleep.

This week we shift gears into Thanksgiving-Christmas-NewYears-Don'tBlinkIt'sJanuary mode.

I'm not sure I'm ready, but that doesn't matter.  Ready or not, here it is.

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For more background on buy boats and a brief video clip of images from a buy boat reunion, click here.

Click here for more information about the Iva W,shown above.

Click here for even more info on the Iva W from a prior life as a bed and breakfast in Florida.

Shed

This little leaning shed lives on the road leading to Locklies Marina.

After lunch on Saturday I had to stop and get its picture.

It looked a little lonely.

The trees coming up around it seem to give some level of support, however slight.

I love this window.

(It doesn't take much to entertain me.)

It was freezing cold today, at least to me.  I believe I saw 40 degrees on the car's thermometer this morning, and when I left work tonight it didn't feel one bit warmer.

On my way home from work, I stopped in Walmutant--not because I wanted to, but because I had to. Driving out of the parking lot, I glanced towards the Garden Center and was shocked to see Christmas trees all lit up. They've probably been lit up for weeks now but I only noticed tonight because of the darkness.

Didn't I just drag that artificial tree of mine down to the basement?  Is it really that close to Christmas?

Again?

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Not that I am rushing Christmas, and if I am I didn't start it, but click here for the story of that Christmas tree  I just put away yesterday.