house sitting, dog sittin' ....

When we travel, Sandy and I, most often will find a sitter (house & dog).

Our old friend, Jack Smith insisted back in August to take it on and was more than happy to oblige.  Luckily while in Vermont, Jack sent along this convincing photo after a week, sharing with us - our Knuckles, their deep bond and close relationship.

a son's 40th

Northern California

West Marin, San Geronimo Valley
(click on photos to enlarge)

Marshal - Petaluma Road

A proud Mom and our son Matt

Old Friends on the road;  Margey & Everett with their new, 14 month old, 'Astron Jaybird Blessing'

St. Rita's Catholic Church, Fairfax, CA

Spirit of St. Louis, Wood Acre, CA

Northern California, Sierra Nevada's 
Tahoe National Forest


Downieville Library

A gingerbread cottage across the street from our own cottage rental, Downieville, CA

Bella's drawing, "Big Blue Eyes", left finished on the dining table

Moose Lake with family and friends

Three days of fishing for the elusive, wild 'Rainbow', deep into Tahoe National Forest.  

Friend, John Glazebrook and son Matt, standing above the Yuba River planning a strategy and discussing the geographic layout.  Matt caught two, John caught one.

Waiting for the "hatch".

John and I, staggering downstream over many a slippery rock-bed.  During our three days on the various streams - and now on a very remote part of Nelson Creek - Johnny only fell twice, while I continuously struggled daily, to stay upright.   (photo courtesy; of a laughing Matt)

fresh bear scat along the way

Johnny, fly-casting into a deep pool

Family rental cottage in Downieville, CA. 

 Matt's waders, and my tired hat - on an eight day adventure

   

(big thanks Michele)

Atlanta airport (through the picture glass)

Concourse E - Delta Airline's ground equipment at Gate 03 - sitting, all waiting

self-portrait (with friends)

It wasn't so far back when there were maybe two or three thousand known photographers worldwide.

Today, there are over 3 billion. With the use of today's so-called 'smart (camera) phone' (intro 1999), photography has taken a tremendous leap.  Kodak's early introduction (in 1900) of the ever so popular "Brownie" over a century ago, proved to be a timely photographic milestone.  Yet digitally today, every one is a photographer - and all should be.

7 year old Emily Whitehurst, shooting a "selfie" with class-mates, school chums, outside a TCBY's frozen yogurt shop.  Having fun - and shared fun.

Moonlight in Vermont ......

A 25 cent view of Lake Champlain from the starboard deck of our ferry boat

Capt. Dan Landry, at the wheelhouse aboard the ferry, Miss Champlain

4th generation Diner owner - Earl Handy of Handy's Lunch, Burlington, VT

A popular breakfast of Earl's - homemade corn-beef hash and sliced tomatoes

To be fare, the town of Burlington, Vermont, is an attractive, fashionable small city - progressive - and well represented by two noted, and respected colleges.  And most importantly there, I was off to see my oldest grandchild - who after finally leaving home, was off to a unique college of her own choosing.  And sometime, somewhere in-between, I found also an underside - a little bit of Burlington's and Vermont's, notable quirky charm.


Ridin' High, a convenience store

Marcel L'Esperance drumming up personal support on Church Street - (sic) "Jail logic for false imprisonment by administrators ...... "

My Sandy, after scoring a scribbled name and phone number from down-deep, inside a dank basement's "head shop" - and resurfacing a few minutes later, carrying a few edible (trial) CPD "gummies".  (In Vermont, recreational use is legal, the sale is not).

 

A pirate accordionist.

Champlain College's contemporary admissions center, in downtown Burlington

One of the many campus, faculty advisory centers

Hydrangeas in bloom, through-out the college campus

Our special Kaya - a freshman now in her new shared dorm room, riding on a full tuition scholarship with a double major in her area of discipline; Computer Forensics, Cyber Security and Counter-Terrorism.

Finally, crossing a quiet Lake Champlain, on a birthday, with New York's Adirondacks highlighted in the far distance.

 

'Jungle Princess' (1965 - 2018)

For Sarasota, the Wallenda family - that circus name is iconic. So to see yesterday, a local obituary in the Herald Tribune, titled 'Jungle Princess dies at age 53' - made me a little squeamish.

In the mid 60's, a small town Sarasota once referred to my own step-mother JoAnne, as the "Indian Princess".  She wasn't circus, but in her own chosen lifestyle, close to it.  JoAnne half accepted that so-called privileged title, but at age 15, I wasn't so sure. Sounded derogatory, made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Having always been a circus fan, and having known and met four generations of Wallenda's, today I attended one more Wallenda memorial.  Tammy Wallenda, the "Jungle Princess", had chosen the "big cats" over the family's high wire act.  For over 25 years, Tammy, a lion-tamer, toured the country with her loved carnivores, and in some cases, her beloved household pets.  At the memorial, one daughter proudly mentioned, " she always kept the show on the road".


Kay Rosaire's, Big Cat Habitat Sanctuary held the memorial event .....

Tammy Wallenda on the road

James, Sanctuary employee and big cat fan.

Carla Wallenda, aerialist (last remaining child of Karl Wallenda).  At 82, Carla still performs today on the "sway pole".

back stage at the Big Cat Sanctuary

Red Tide & a round house

For months, the "Red Tide" plague has been building, lingering and swaying up and down Florida's southwest coast. Within the last few days, the algae bloom (Karenia brevis), has bloomed even larger, and now the seawater, much deeper in color, has sent thousands of fish floating throughout our local bays - including, even in my own back-water, saltwater lagoon.  Fish and mammals are all being affected - and dead.

Dolphins, hundreds of sea turtles, and countless manatees (last count 80) have died. Recently, a juvenile whale shark of 26 feet washed ashore on Sanibel Island. And, all are attributing this deadly, highly-inflammed toxin - born of a natural Gulf algae - to probable human interaction. This current widespread and multi-county out-break, is reportedly being exasperated by the long term use, and run-off from agricultural chemicals. For now, the local media are head-lining it as a record bloom, but quietly quoting on their back page, "a red tide slaughterhouse".

After awakening to the smell and stench of rotting fish, I had a specific scheduled sight to see in the late afternoon.

The old Hilton Leech Studio, and part of a one-day lecture tour, today had become a prized example of Sarasota's noted "School of Architecture".  The original art studio (now a residence), where I once hung out a few times as a kid, was recently placed on the real-estate market for a million bucks.  This newly refurbished, simple round structure (barely resembling what I once remembered), appeared a little dolled-up.  But thankfully, it was still there, and still existing - unlike our current marine life - which should stand for a little bit of something.

West and Waters, architects - Hilton Leech Studio, 1960