Category: connections

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, bucket list, connections, making memories, perseverance, photography, road trip

Cape Cod…

naturecoastimagesblog

We spent Thursday driving around the Cape, stopping at Race Beach in hopes of seeing the three lighthouses off in the distance. The feature photo is one of them. If we could have found parking I might have taken more. It seems P-town is having an up-tick in Covid so we didn’t walk around there. But at the Cape Cod national seashore we found the Three Sisters Lighthouses.

And the closing of the parking lot near the Nauset Light caused us to find and walk the trail and take pictures from the grounds as opposed to a photo from the parking lot. Serendipity.

As we headed toward home we stopped at the marina in Wellfleet and saw some pretty scenery. And we ate some really good ice cream too. All in all a nice, relaxing day.

'scene' along the way, adventure, boats, connections, exploring new places, finding my way, flowers, friends, fun, gardens, making memories, perseverance, photography, road trip, weather

A lovely day in Rockport…

naturecoastimagesblog

If there ever was a time for me to learn to replace the sky in an image then today would be the day. My day in Rockport really was lovely, after all, it wasn’t raining. But the sky could have been a lot prettier. But the lack of color in the sky couldn’t spoil the colorful scenes I was seeing everywhere I looked.

This, I was told, is the iconic image of Rockport, so it was the first image we took
If I didn’t believe it when I first heard it, then this sign would have convinced me.
As we walked to the waterfront these glimpses down the alleyways made me anxious to get there.
I have been seeing these gorgeous hydrangeas everywhere, but none prettier than these.
Hollyhocks are a favorite from my childhood.
And then we were there.
The restaurants touted fresh lobster, and it probably doesn’t get fresher than this.
Another view of the iconic building. It was destroyed in 1978 by a huge storm, but the townspeople pitched in to recreate it.
The scene behind the facades.
You would likely have a view like this no matter which of the waterfront restaurants you might choose to have your lunch.
Or a view like this…
This parade of little sailboats was being towed by the speedboat ahead of them. We decided that it was a group of kids being guided in after sailing lessons.
Where ever you choose to eat you will have seagulls staring longingly at your lunch. But we had this house sparrow keeping us company.
When we finally arrived at our room for the night we found this great potential sunset view right from the doorway. But the clouds took over.

When you are retired every day is a vacation I know, but to be back ‘home’ with time to enjoy places I never visited when I lived here is the best of all possible worlds.

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, connections, finding my way, foggy sky, friends, fun, go with the flow, history, life goes on, memories, perseverance, photography

In the mist…

naturecoastimagesblog

Do you see it in the mist? The Gurnett Light. One of the few places I knew of that my friend hadn’t been to when he was a kid growing up in my same hometown. So we drove the long, rough, dirt road out to the point where it sat, and had to get 90% there to see it at all in the mist. I dodged raindrops all day to get these pictures, but somehow it didn’t spoil what turned out to be a fun day for us.

You really can’t get close to this lighthouse since it’s in a private community that sits out at the tip of the point. But you can zoom with your lens.
When I googled the Powder Point Light I expected to see the other lighthouse, but this one showed up. It sits right at the start of the Powder Point Bridge and is now a private residence.
And the bridge, once the longest wooden bridge in the country. Or maybe it was the world, I just read it but can’t remember.
Someone watched me taking pictures.
And swimmers on the beach. A
And the lonely lifeguard, watching them.
We had driven through Plymouth the day before. It was a gorgeous day but we couldn’t stop then, and probably couldn’t have found parking since the place was teaming with tourists. So we said we’d come back the next day, and the weather meant that there was plenty of parking.
Those masts are the Mayflower 2. As we drove back and forth to Duxbury the rain would stop, but each time we returned to Plymouth it was pouring again. We wound up drenched.
At one intersection along the way we saw the Toll House sign. The actual Toll House was a cute little white house in Whitman where the toll house cookie was said to be invented. It sat on this corner, and across the intersection was a fabulous fabric store called Saftlers. Both are gone now, replaced with gas stations I think..

I think that if I had had anyone else with me yesterday, and wanted to show them scenery that was close to my heart, they’d have thought I was nuts. But we both loved pointing out all the beautiful old houses along the roads we both traveled as kids…

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, blessings, connections, coping, finding my way, friends, fun, life goes on, making memories, perseverance, photography, road trip, weather

Catching up…

naturecoastimagesblog

Day two of this trip had us traveling on back roads just like the detour road that we drove on the day before. But without all the traffic, and especially without all the trucks that we traveled with the day before, so a nicer day. A pleasant day of driving through North and South Carolina, but then it was time to negotiate the NY City area and our expected 9 hour trip took 13 hours and was (almost) no fun at all.

When I wasn’t driving I was taking pictures out the window.
We spent a little time on Rt 1, a road I traveled a lot when I lived in MD.
We had to put in the Tappan Zee bridge as a destination to get the GPS to take us over this bridge and not the dreaded George Washington bridge. After a difficult day’s drive I’m trying not to think about what route to take home, but that’s a problem for another day.

My friend and I are from the same hometown in MA, but it took us over 70 years to meet in our photo group in Florida. So this trip down memory lane took us back to Fields Park where we both spent time in our youth, but never together.

My sister assured me that this was my mother’s favorite spot in Field’s Park, so we sprinkled some of her ashes from this bridge a few years ago. Shh, don’t tell anyone though because I think it’s not kosher.
The swans came to us, and posed for us in this little lagoon.
Tower Hill is the main attraction in the park.
I liked this long distance view, but a day without rain threatening might have been nicer. We may get to try again before we leave.

Honestly, not too long ago I thought that all my connections to my hometown were now gone, and I wondered if I’d ever go back again. Funny about connections, all these years later I have new connections to the same old place of my youth, and it feels good.

a second look, blessings, connections, coping, courage, facing facts, finding my way, friends, fun, growing old, history, leap of faith, learning, life, life goes on, live and learn, making memories, perseverance, photography, second chances, sunset, technology

Things have changed…

naturecoastimagesblog

I wrote my tag line, “Life on my own, on the Nature Coast of Florida”, on the fly in a class I took on How to Start a Blog. We walked out of that two hour class with the bones of a blog in our laptops, all we had to do was write, so I did. And I have enjoyed it a lot. But lately I have been feeling like a bit of a fraud. Actually I have been feeling that way for a while now. After all, once I moved two years ago I assumed that my new county wasn’t considered part of the Nature Coast. But I checked with Siri just now and she says I’m good. Not a fraud, at least not over that part of my tag line.

But the ‘on my own’ thing isn’t as true as it used to be either. I am still on my own, but against all odds there is now someone sharing my life, and also sharing my photo ops. Another photographer, so the whole being out for photos, and also processing them later on, is lots more fun these days. And we are on the cusp of our first adventure together, heading off to visit relatives and take pictures along the way. I probably would have bet money against this ever happening, but it certainly has been a welcome addition to my life in general. So that ‘never say never’ thing? Well, I guess that’s good advice…

'scene' along the way, a second look, adventure, birds, brainstorms, connections, finding my way, Florida landmarks, Florida wildlife, friends, fun, Just do it, making memories, nature, perseverance, photography, sky, weather

It was beach-y…

naturecoastimagesblog

,With day after day of rain, and a potential tropical storm ready to make landfall in a couple of days, I thought I’d lose my mind if I didn’t get out and go somewhere. To the beach, I thought. Dramatic clouds at the beach could be nice, especially when you are desperate. But then we remembered that the Skimmer chicks might be seen at the beach, so off we went with that vague notion and yet we managed to find them. It was a beautiful day, so unexpected, and with a great photo op to boot.

Skimmers on the beach. This row of adults will attract the babies when they are old enough, and thus they will learn to fly and fish for their dinner.
The nesting area is cordoned off, and a helpful volunteer gave us the run down on the nests. Which are just depressions in the sand where they lay their eggs, but in a spot vulnerable to people as well as predators.
Someone is looking for mommy.
And looking some more.
Found her.
Sounding off.
And a black crowned night heron at the sanctuary.
This eagle lives at the sanctuary also.
And a resident White Pelican.

The skimmer chicks will be susceptible to the storm, so we have to hope that it doesn’t hit with a lot of force when it gets here. Let’s all cross our fingers…