Life in a painting

Robert, Heather, Selim, and I went out for an early morning kayak adventure Wednesday morning.

I didn't really give Selim the option of not coming, and that might have been a mistake.  He didn't paddle for very long and Robert ended up towing him for most of the time.  He sat there in his kayak, pasha style, grumpy and eager to return to the docks.  He was in for a long ride.

We paddled out of the cove and took a right, heading towards the narrows.  In the morning, before the boat traffic gets intense, the water is calm and easy to navigate.  In the narrows, there was a quality to the light, the way the sun reflected on the water, that reminded me of a Winslow Homer painting.  At least, I think it was a Homer work.  I can see it in my mind -- craggy rock formation that could be the Atlantic coast or Hudson / St. Lawrence Rivers, sun reflections on the water painted with broad brush strokes, and a canoe.  If the painting I'm thinking of isn't Homer, then it is early 1900's, American, post Hudson River School of the 1850's.  Could be William Merritt Chase, Thomas Eakins, Childe Hassam or somebody else, I just can't remember.

Exiting through the narrows we enter an open section of the river.  Straight ahead is a tiny island with a house that Mom loves.  I can see why.  The owner(s) have beautiful window boxes on the house, the island itself is ringed with flagstone, and the house itself is an interesting combination of stucco and tree house structure.  I loved the plants spilling out of a red canoe, propped upright against a tree.  And what tiny island paradise would be complete without a boathouse or changing pavillion?

We circled around that island and then paddled to the back of Wellesley Island.  There Robert, Selim, and Heather disembarked and climbed up the steep slope to go on a small expedition to see the glacier potholes.  I stayed behind, happy to float and take a break.

The exploring didn't take too long and then we were back paddling for home.  Unfortunately, two deer flies found Selim and would not give him any peace.  He ended up pulling his beach towel over his head and vocalizing his displeasure every few minutes.  It worked for him since he wasn't paddling and didn't need to see where he was going.  May be some day he will look back on this particular morning with good humor.  May be.  Or instead of 2 deer flies, the tale will grow to a swarm.  On the way back we made a slight detour to see if we could find the dead tree where the big snakes like to sun bathe, but we might have gotten there too early in the morning because the branches were bare of six foot long snakes.  However, the extra paddling was not in vain because we saw a great blue heron in a tree, fairly up close and personal.

The last bit of kayaking across the open section of river was the most difficult, boat traffic had increased and we were travelling into the wind.  I didn't head into the cove immediately.  Instead, I wanted to take a picture of a row of boat houses that I had photographed three years ago.  With the sun coming up directly behind them, morning was not the best time.  I need to go out in the evening to get the best shot.

As I approached the shore, I noticed that another great blue heron was standing next to "seagull rock."

I took its picture and paddled closer.  And took another picture.  And paddled closer.  Under my breath I was repeating, "Thank you heron for letting me get so close.  Thank you for standing so still.  Thank you for not being scared of my kayak."  I ended up getting within 20 feet or less before two hot shot boats came roaring along and the bird flew off.  What a privilege to get so close to such a majestic bird!

I should have been writing more during this week and just saving the posts for when I get home and can upload the pictures.  I've put a few on facebook and each picture has taken five minutes, at a minimum, to upload.  Since I tend to write around the pictures I've taken, it has been too daunting.  But this is a start -- a thread to be picked up later, of our glorious week at Acorn Cottage.

Supreme Court Rulings

Today the Supreme Court ruled on the Defense of Marriage Act.  I sat in the training room and tried to pay attention to the material presented.  But I felt nervous and I wanted to keep checking the internet to see if the decision had been announced.  At our first break -- nothing.  When we dispersed for lunch, I didn't bother looking on the computer.  I got right in my car and turned on public radio and heard the end of the discussion on the Diane Rehm show.  Relief at the verdict.  The ruling was a victory for the couples who will be direct beneficiaries, but also for those of us who believe that legislating discrimination is a really bad practice.

The President put out a statement right afterwards.  I love the last paragraph:

I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act.  This was discrimination enshrined in law.  It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people.  The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.  We are a people who declared that we are all created equal – and the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. 

This ruling is a victory for couples who have long fought for equal treatment under the law; for children whose parents’ marriages will now be recognized, rightly, as legitimate; for families that, at long last, will get the respect and protection they deserve; and for friends and supporters who have wanted nothing more than to see their loved ones treated fairly and have worked hard to persuade their nation to change for the better. 

So we welcome today’s decision, and I’ve directed the Attorney General to work with other members of my Cabinet to review all relevant federal statutes to ensure this decision, including its implications for Federal benefits and obligations, is implemented swiftly and smoothly.

On an issue as sensitive as this, knowing that Americans hold a wide range of views based on deeply held beliefs, maintaining our nation’s commitment to religious freedom is also vital.  How religious institutions define and consecrate marriage has always been up to those institutions.  Nothing about this decision – which applies only to civil marriages – changes that.  

The laws of our land are catching up to the fundamental truth that millions of Americans hold in our hearts:  when all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.  

I'm not educated enough on the specifics of the SCOTUS ruling on sections of the Voting Rights Act yesterday.  In my gut, I don't think it was the right decision.  Judging by the number of states who are going ahead with redistricting and punitive voter ID laws, I'm nervous about it.  I don't understand the desire that some have to bar Americans from voting, or making the process so difficult that they give up trying.  I guess the elections in the years to come will tell the story -- have we, as a nation, evolved to where the protections are no longer necessary?  Or, as I fear, is this an opening for those who are motivated by fear and contempt of others not like them, to their fellow citizens from the political process?  Time will tell.

I haven't blogged in a while.  Lots has been happening.  I have tons of pictures.  Soon I will get back into a rhythm of posting.  I need to figure out how to get my pictures off my phone and on to my computer.  But for now, here are a couple of Selim's last day of second grade this past Friday.

"Best afternoon ever"

We were sitting outside at a blue picnic table, waiting for our burgers to arrive, when Selim said, "This has been the best afternoon ever.  Well, maybe the fourth or fifth best ever.  I'm not sure.  But it was great."

We got to Wallis Sands at 5:00 so that we wouldn't have to pay the entrance fee.  That was great in theory.  However, to discourage people like us who are trying to avoid paying, they are locking the gates to the parking lot at 6:00.  We had an hour.  And Selim made use of the 43 minutes he had in the water.

He ran right in, belly flopped, and came up sputtering.  Good thing he had on his goggles.

Then he came back for the board and rode in waves.  According to the local news, the ocean temperature is 60 degrees.  Without that wet suit, he wouldn't have lasted more than two minutes.  But with it, he was toasty and had such a good time.

I had fun documenting.

Part of what made the time so great, was that we were all there together, as a family.  Nedim's friend from Australia, who is here for a few weeks came along as well.

I hated getting him out of the water at 5:43, but we needed to be outside the gates by 6:00.  And, he has had a runny nose for the past few weeks, so limiting his time wasn't such a bad plan.  It took both Nedim and I holding him and tugging on the wet suit to get that thing off.  I don't know how I will manage when it is just Selim and I together.

From the beach, we went to a new (?) burger place on Route 1.  I had a veggie burger with avocado and salsa and a side order of sweet potato fries.  The guys got regular cheese burgers.  It was a great end to a really good day.

Earlier, I planted 80% of the garden.  I put in 24 tomato and cucumber seedlings.  I should have started the seeds earlier.  The seedlings are very small.  I hope that some of them, at least, will be successful bearing plants.  I left one row of black plastic un-planted.  I will pick up two zucchini and may be another, more mature, tomato plant or three.

I'm going to trust that some of my cucumber plants will survive.  I'm going to try having them grow up, around a cage and see if that helps the cucumbers ripen.  I saw that trick when I was walking in Washington, D.C. two summers ago.  Growing up on a trellis-type thing, the plants took up less space and the fruit got better sun.  We shall see.

The peas have reached their fence.

And the strawberries are ripening.

And I have enjoyed salad made of lettuce thinnings for a few days now.  I love having a garden!

Memorial Day

Selim and I went to Portsmouth today and walked around Prescott Park.  Every year we go and take pictures by the fountains.  When we entered the area with the three small fountains, there was white stuff everywhere.  At first glance, it looked like snow.  But no, petals from the flowering trees had fallen in massive quantities.

The rhododendron flowers at the edge of the walkway were beautiful.

The new bridge between Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine is getting installed.  The span is shiny.  I liked the green patina from the old bridge.  But I will take a safer and shiny bridge over dangerous and pretty patina any day.

As we drove into town, I noticed a wisteria tree out of the corner of my eye.  The contrast of the pink door and the purple flowers had me in a trance.

Driving out of town, we went past houses with flags, in honor of Memorial Day.

This is the day that we remember those who gave their lives in service to country.  I am grateful to those who have served and those who continue in the military and diplomatic corps today.  And at the same time, there are many other ways to serve our country and I am thankful for all that have heeded the call in their own way.

In other news, the garden has grown a lot in the past week.  It is time to thin the lettuce!

The azalea that I moved two years ago finally flowered.  My plant is weeks behind others in the neighborhood.  I was surprised to see the buds today.

And it looks like we will have some strawberries from a few volunteer plants.

I don't think I took pictures of the peas, but they are sending tendrils out to the fence.  So exciting!  The tomato seeds sprouted while I was away and the cucumber shoots grew.

I needed these days off.  After being away for a week, I am grateful to have had an extra day with my Lovey Lamb.  I treasure our walks, fountain and flower explorations, and window shopping moments.  I love it that we sing together in the car, and hold hands as we cross a street.  He has only a few more weeks of school.  Pretty soon I will be balancing more together time, with a need to nap and be parent on duty at the same time.  I'll cross that bridge some time next month.