Resting

Here are a few more shots from my favorite public landing.

This old boat has a perfect resting spot.

Much like the remnants of the dock in the background, the boat looks like it's seen better days.

Still, I find them both photogenic.

Speaking of resting, I did a whole lot of that this weekend.  With the exception of Saturday night when we had a nice family gathering to celebrate Son's return home for spring break, I did a whole lot of lollygagging and napping.

The next two weekends I'll be out of town, and lots of driving will be involved.  So I took advantage of Saturday's and Sunday's kind invitation to do nothing and thoroughly relaxed.

It's hard to believe spring is just about here.  

Time continues to fly by at break-neck pace.

I hope all is well in your world.

Seabreeze

Saturday a friend and I drove over to Gwynns Island for lunch at the Seabreeze, which fronts Milford Haven.

The Seabreeze is the county's only waterfront restaurant.  

The views alone are reason enough to eat there.

Since Daughter went vegetarian last year, I've not had many opportunities to indulge in a really good cheeseburger. I also can't remember the last time I've had french fries of any description, much less hand-cut ones that actually tasted like potatoes.  But I seized the moment and ordered both.

The food matched the spectacular views and the general mood of a lazy Saturday with no races to run, no track meets to attend, and no chores that couldn't be ignored for a few weeks months days longer.

The Seabreeze was one of the highlights of an entire weekend dedicated to lollygagging slowing down and appreciating the moment.

Heron

Sunday afternoon I arrived home from yet another fiftieth birthday celebration, this time for my friend Laura Lane.  Several high school friends converged on an oceanfront hotel in Virginia Beach, and my college roommate Iris also was in town for her daughter's volleyball game.  There was lots of fun and frivolity, but not a lot of rest and sleep. There also didn't appear to be much behavior typically associated with fifty-year-olds.  One of the two rooms we were in was visited by the hotel security guard, who issued a warning for noise.

(Please note, I was not in that particular room.  I was as quiet as a church mouse.  Well, a more accurate statement is at the time the warning was issued, I was dancing the night away downstairs in the hotel lounge. So, for the record, I was not in violation of any hotel policies.)

A n y w a y... this heron spent the better part of  Sunday afternoon lollygagging on this pole across the creek from me.

At times he looked like a one-legged heron--especially from the angle below.

But eventually I caught him standing on both legs.

My own two legs are a little sore from Saturday night's dancing.  I view it as cross training for some upcoming races, one of which is a 10K on Valentines Day at a local winery. (Click here for details.)  I can't think of a better motivation to exercise than chocolate and wine.

And I can't think of a better cross-training exercise than dancing with lifelong friends in the middle of January in an oceanfront hotel in Virginia Beach.

Have a great week.

Lollygagging

Here are more scenes from Bethel Beach, where I went jogging last weekend.

I hope to get in lots of napping jogging and perhaps a little bit of lollygagging this weekend.  It's really very important--if not critical--to practice lollygagging whenever time allows, don't you know. Thankfully, with a long, three-day weekend in front of me, there should be at least a few opportunities for me to hone my lollygagging skills.

I cannot wait.

A Day of Rest

These shots of a heron at Bethel Beach are about a month old. With everything going on here lately, I haven't had an opportunity to wander around the county to take pictures. This week will be just as busy, although in a much different way. I'm leaving on a trip to New York to see some blog friends and eat some good food.

Today, though, is the calm before after the storm, a day of rest and a day of lollygagging. My definition of lollygagging includes wandering around the county taking pictures, if the weather cooperates.

We had a great time celebrating Christmas and my mother's birthday Saturday evening. The whole family (plus Ann Marie, her father, and her adorable little dog who stopped by later in the evening) feasted on crab legs, scallops, shrimp and wine much more. Perhaps going against the grain of most family's typical Christmas celebrations, but right in line with a Chesapeake Bay Family celebration of any kind, there was some dancing involved. And a few hats. In short a good time was had by all.

But I'm really looking forward to resting and lollygagging today.

Hope your weekend was good and your Christmas (for those who celebrate) was great. If you're fortunate enough to have today off from work, try to squeeze in as much lollygagging as possible.

It's good for you.

Birds

Here's to perching on a pole and staring out at the water all day.

Happy Labor Day.

Scenes from Aaron's Beach

I'm supposedly working on the book today.

But all I really want to do is play outdoors.

 These are from Aaron's Beach.

I'd much rather be sitting in sand than at a desk.

But there's work to do.

This fine example of doing anything and everything other than the task at hand procrastination and dawdling is now over.

What are you doing this weekend?

Sunday Drive

Taken from the bridge at Bethel Beach. February 2011

Today's photos are from the road leading up to Bethel Beach.

Sign warning you about the bridge at Bethel Beach. 

It's a good thing this sign is here.  With so much traffic and congestion to navigate through, some sort of advance warning is always helpful.

Actually, aside from the occasional fisherman, the only thing causing congestion on these roads are fiddler crabs in the summer time. They need to put a sign up for that.  Warning:  Creepy Little Crustaceans Crossing With an Attitude Their Oversized Claws Held High in the Air.

The bridge. At Bethel Beach.

Don't blink; you might miss the bridge. Actually, you can be staring straight at it like now and still not see it.

The view again from the bridge.

Even though it's a narrow little one lane bridge, complete with warning signs and all, it's possible to stop your car at the top, roll your window down, leisurely take some photos, do a crossword puzzle, ponder the meaning of life and wonder what's for dinner without ever encountering another vehicle.  Nobody goes down here in the winter.

Except people like CBW who are avoiding their life To Do List.

The shots above are a bit out of order.  The first one was taken on the ride in towards Bethel Beach.  The rest were taken as I was leaving, so the sequence of events is a bit off, but being just a bit off is normal for me.

This concludes our Sunday drive over the little bridge approaching Bethel Beach.  Try to contain your excitement.

Thanks and have a great Sunday.

Love,
CBW

p.s. A quick count shows that I said Bethel Beach at least six times in today's relatively brief post. Seven if you include the label below. Eight if you include this p.s.  It's time to stop before this gets any further out of hand.

Sunday Drive

These scenes could very easily have been shot in Mathews, but they weren't.

Yesterday, as part of my quest to do anything but what needed to be done, I convinced a friend to go with me on a little adventure over the river and through the woods  involving a leisurely drive across a couple of rivers, a short walk through the woods and some long overdue lollygagging and philosophizing* along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

Doesn't that tree stump above look like someone pointing?  I thought so too. She was probably trying to direct our attention to all the sunlight bouncing off the choppy water, except she didn't have to go to all that trouble.  From the moment I laid eyes on that bay,  I was transfixed.

"Transfixed" sounds like a veterinary procedure.  I'd like to substitute the word "mesmerized" if it's OK.  Thank you.

This undeveloped patch of beach on the bay is known as Hughlett Point, a 204-acre wetland preserve. From the town of Kilmarnock, turn right as if you're headed towards Reedville and just follow the signs.

The drive was beautiful and the walk, just under two miles round trip, invigorating on a brisk fall day.

Click here for more information on the preserve.

Or here.

*Lollygagging and philosophizing are essential ingredients to a successful day of avoiding chores Sunday.  During this particular session my friend and I solved practically all the world's problems; discussed survival tactics for the cold, dark days of winter; and determined that if a person ever wants to be truly alone where they can hear the marsh grass grow themselves think, they should visit Hughlett Point.

Stay tuned for more scenes from this little field trip.

What did you do this weekend?