Bike Ride

"Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful.  Everything is simply happy.  Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance.  Look at the flowers - for no reason.  It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are."  ~ Osho

I was riding my bike recently and came upon this tiny house drenched in vines that were preparing to awaken for the coming spring.. How happy they seemed in the morning light.

You never know what kind of treasure you will find if you keep your eyes open.

You gotta love the Brownies!

Brownie Smile Song

I've got something in my pocket
It belongs across my face.
And I keep it very close at hand
In a most convenient place.

I'm sure you couldn't guess it
If you guessed a long, long while.
So I'll take it out and put it on
It's a great big BROWNIE SMILE!

The members of our Brownie Troop 111 are always doing something. You can't help smiling when you see them. I captured them selling Girl Scout cookies in front of Fresh Pride this past weekend.

Oh, and don't forget to buy those cookies!

Seagulls Everywhere

Seagulls

by Louis Jenkins

There were no seagulls in the harbor, none at the marina. I saw none in the air. There were no seagulls at Canal Park, or McDonalds, or at Russ Kendall's smokehouse, or at the Kmart parking lot, or any of their favorite hangouts. It's winter and snow is falling, but I don't believe seagulls fly south. I've often seen them standing around on the ice all day, as if they were waiting for a big bus to come and take them to a casino. Where are all the seagulls? This is not a question I ever thought I'd ask myself. You get used to someone being around and if they go away you miss them. That's how life is. But seagulls are primarily a nuisance, and if you can't count on that, what can you count on? 

Wonderful poem. Our seagulls are full-time residents. Some regard them as a nuisance, but we would miss them if they left.

Woman's Best Friend

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.  ~ Ben Williams

Could there be such as thing as posting too many pet photos? No. I photographed this lady yesterday taking her puppy for a walk. It was windy and cold but at least the snow was gone.

Bells for Barry

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” ~ Tennessee Williams

Well, just one bell. Can you see it? I was working away at the computer when my BlackBerry told me it was time. No time to run outside. So from our humble little studio to you Barry, a bell rang at 2:00 p.m. - exactly.

I rooted my husband from his easel to take a photo of me ringing the little bell that had been hanging from our ceiling fan since our last trip to Germany.

For those not familiar with the story that goes with all of this International bell ringing check out Barry's site.  In a nutshell, Barry, who lives in Toronto, has been fighting cancer for a year. Today, at 2:00 p.m., he completed his last chemo treatment; it is a ritual for those completing treatment to ring the bell at Princess Margaret Hospital. Barry's followers joined in and rang bells over the world, not only for Barry, but for everyone  battling cancer.

Barry and his wife are wonderful people who have been fans of this blog for almost a year, so that  makes them part-time residents of Crisfield. Crisfield is proud to be a part of the bell-ringing.

Get well, Barry!

And do visit Barry's blog. Avid readers will adore it.

And the time was exactly...

Crab Shanties in Crisfield

The snow has left us but Old Man Winter is still around. I captured this photo at Jenkins Creek. I love the way our crab shanties remind us of the warm weather to come.

The Shanties of Summer

The sun retreats behind winter clouds that come and

       stay playing their evilistic games – was there ever a

       summer or was it only a dream that crept under our

       bed-covers while we slept piled high with

       cotton and down?

Was there a ever a time when the sun touched our
       skin and permeated our bones so that we
       felt like indolent paralyzed sloths that could not
       would not move? Oh, the importance of doing nothing.

Was there a ever a time when we squinted our soulful eyes into the
       warmth of a setting sun – sky ablaze and turned
       away feeling not fit to gaze upon her godly colors?

Was there a ever a time when we rose to
       the gossip of birds a golden patch of softness tickling our
       cheeks bidding us “rise and shine?”

The winter demons that fly round
       our heads are no match for sleeping fishing
       shanties – they slap us in the face validating that
       winter is a malevolent lie that nags nags.

Throw off the winter lies that detonate the ennui in your
       mind prepare for the ecstasy of summer  – she is
       real!  Just ask the shanties the shanties the
       shanties of summer.

Somerset County Volunteer Fire Departments

But sound aloud the praises, and give the victor-crown
To our noble-hearted Firemen, who fear not danger's frown

~ Frederic G.W. Fenn, "Ode to our Firemen," 1878

It is that time of year again when the volunteers from our county fire departments and EMS have their annual banquets. I so love these people. They are always there for any type of emergency and in any kind of weather.

Two weeks ago, with a ton of snow and ice on the roads, the hearty volunteers of the Crisfield Fire Department did not let the weather cancel their banquet. I thought about not making the trek to the firehouse, but the thought of knowing that if our house had been on fire in such weather they would not have whined about the weather and road conditions. They would have beaten a path to my door. And so I beat a path, a slow path, to their door.

This weekend I covered the Fairmount banquet.

Thank you to the men and women, and cadets, who serve our county so well. All photos have been posted on the staff photo gallery at my newspaper's web site (see menu bar to the left).

Crisfield

 This is Chief Bill Reynolds, who is a retired Coastie (Coast Guard) and his lovely wife Kathy. Super people!

 Fairmount

 Chief Emory Ford and his wife Terry. Ford is the new Fairmount chief for the year 2010.

So as you look at the firefighter with his rake, hose or axe,
His beet red face or ice covered mustache,
You should know why he goes through that smoky front door,
And is forced to crawl like a baby down on the floor.
He does it to save both lives and property,
All that is precious to you and to me.
So take a good look at this modern warrior who serves his call proud and true,
And know that he would die just to save me and you.

~ Robert J. Athans

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Please support your local fire departments.

 _________________________________

BTW, at the Fairmount banquet I got on the other side of the camera to have my photo taken with Donnie Howard, left, of the Marion Fire Department (their banquet is coming up soon - I'll be there),  James Ring, past-president of the Somerset County Commissioners, and Somerset County Commissioner James East. I cover so many events that I feel like I am around family sometimes. Thanks to everyone who is just as sweet as apple pie to me - old Georgia saying.